Fire at a home on Bowlsby Place in Esquimalt
Investigators are trying to determine the cause of a fire that damaged an Esquimalt home on Monday night.
It started around 7:45 p.m. on a porch at the rear of the house on Bowlsby Place.
Neighbours saw smoke and flames, reported it to the home’s owner and called 911.
They also started to try to douse the flames with a garden hose until firefighters arrived
The owner on the main floor and another tenant on the top floor managed to get out of the house.
Two people who live in a downstairs suite weren’t at home.
By the time Victoria Fire crews arrived, the flames had spread to the main structure but they quickly knocked the fire down.
“Its a shingle-covered 1900’s era three-storey wood framed house,” said Victoria Fire Dept. Battalion Chief Doug Carey.
“We were being cautious to make sure it doesn’t get into concealed spaces and up into the attic ”
The exterior of the house was significantly damaged by fire and fire suppression activities. Smoke damage was present throughout the home. There was also water damage that affected all three floors at the rear of the house. Estimated cost is $100,000.
The cause is under investigation.
“The fire right now is undetermined as far as the cause,” said Carey.
“We’re bringing an investigator to the scene to try to sift through it and find out why it started.”
The four people living in the home are being looked after by Emergency Social Services.
Ben O'Hara
