Victoria fire crews have responded to an apartment fire that ignited near Beacon Hill Park on Friday.
The structure fire was located at 639 Battery Street in the James Bay area.
Victoria Fire Department responded to the incident with 19 firefighters.
Videos sent to CHEK News show flames shooting out a window on the second floor of the building.
According to Victoria Fire Chief, Paul Bruce, the fire appears to have started on the second floor of the apartment building and “lapped up onto the third floor.”
Black smoke could also be seen billowing from the fire as residents evacuated the building.
Fire crews arrived on scene and were able to extinguish the blaze as fast as possible, however, Bruce believes two to three suites in the building have been damaged by the fire.
Additional footage shows some firefighters attacking the flames from outside the apartment, while others feed hoses through the main entrance.
“I did get an initial report of two injuries,” Bruce also told CHEK News.
He added that the occupant of the suite where the fire started, as well as one other resident, had been taken to hospital to be treated for smoke inhalation and minor burns.
Two cats were also rescued from the building by firefighters.
“There will be some minor water damage, but it looks like the guys were pretty conservative on the water,” Bruce said.
The Victoria Fire Department is estimating damages of approximately $100,000.
An assessment is underway to determine whether or not the building is safe for residents to return to their suites on Friday.
Emergency Support Services have also been deployed to cater to the needs of residents as well.
At this time it is unknown what caused the fire.
This is a developing story and will be updated as more information is learned.
Firefighters working on the blaze at 639 Battery St.
CHEK News
