A man’s belongings were completely destroyed after his encampment caught fire next to a former department store in Victoria’s Burnside-Gorge neighbourhood.
Fire crews from the Bay Street Fire Station were called to 2959 Douglas St. around noon Saturday after receiving a burning complaint, Battalion Chief Doug Carey says.
“As the crew was responding, they could see the column of smoke coming up, so they knew something was on fire,” Carey told CHEK News on scene.
“It turns out there was a bit of a homeless encampment against the wall of the old Canadian Tire. The fire had caused the window of the door to fail, so smoke got inside the building.”
One engine was dispatched to the scene, and when crews arrived, three other trucks were called in for support, according to the battalion chief.
“We’ve got security coming to help us secure the building. We’re evacuating the smoke out of the building. The fire’s been extinguished,” Carey said at the time.
“Nobody’s hurt, everything’s good.”
Crews did not disclose the cause of the fire.
CHEK News
