Fire inside a mobile home in View Royal late Tuesday night. View Royal fire says the blaze spread from one unit to a neighbouring home, destroying both structures. There were no injuries, but four people have been displaced. Video courtesy Joshua McMillan.
The View Royal fire chief says there were no injuries following a large fire on the Songhees Nation that destroyed two mobile homes late Tuesday night, displacing four people.
Fire Chief Paul Hurst says View Royal Fire Rescue was called shortly after 11 p.m. to reports of flames in a building on Middle Road, just off Craigflower Road.
En route, crews were updated with reports of people being trapped inside and jumping from windows to evacuate, which brought on further assistance from Colwood and Esquimalt crews.
Hurst says when firefighters arrived, they found two units fully involved with flames, saying the blaze had spread quickly from one of the homes to a second.
After completing a search of the structures for people inside, the fire crews determined there was no one in the burning structures and there were no injuries to civilians or firefighters.
“Fortunate to contain it to two units. If it had been three or four in the morning when nobody would have seen the fire, it could have been a different outcome. But in this case, it turned out pretty good,” Hurst said.
An investigation into the cause of the blaze is underway with police and fire officials on the scene. Hurst said the fire was deemed to have started on the outside of one of the buildings.
The damage seen Wednesday morning of a fire in one of two mobile homes destroyed overnight. The blaze started shortly after 11 p.m. Tuesday at the trailer park on Middle Road, off Craigflower Road.
Hurst said 39 firefighters responded to fight the blaze, along with numerous pieces of equipment.
Emergency Social Services is working with the displaced residents for accommodation and clothing.
Hurst says the fire is a reminder for people to have working smoke detectors in your home, which should be tested every month and replaced every two years.
On Wednesday evening, West Shore RCMP said the fire had been deemed suspicious. Police also confirmed the fire was discovered by a sleeping resident who was alerted to the blaze by a smoke detector.
This fire caused a significant amount of damage. The flames spread to a nearby trailer and it was contained from there, however many lives could have been at risk had it grown further. We are looking for witnesses to come forward and assist us with this investigation,
said Const. Saggar of the West Shore RCMP in a statement.
Anyone with information on the fire is asked to West Shore RCMP at 250-474-2264. You can also report anonymously through Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477.
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