Firefighters extinguished a smouldering fire at a coffee shop on Oak Bay Avenue in Victoria on Tuesday afternoon.
The fire was reported around 12 p.m. in the Good Earth Coffeehouse at 1971 Oak Bay Ave. The building where the coffee shop is located was evacuated.
Victoria Fire Department Battalion Chief Gord Taylor said the Victoria Fire Department received a report of smoke coming from a second-floor balcony in the building. They also received an alarm bell call for the same building.
“When we arrived there was heavy black smoke coming from a vent just outside of Good Earth coffee shop. So we extinguished that.”
Taylor said firefighters then went inside the building through the parkade and back stairwell, where they accessed the storeroom and kitchen area of the coffee shop.
According to Taylor, firefighters found an electrical issue inside a false ceiling. The cause of the fire is under investigation but Taylor says it appears a ballast issue created a fire that was picked up through the ventilation and sending smoke outside.
“It did not affect the residential area above,” Taylor said.
“It was contained to the GoodEarth coffee shop on the main floor.”
Taylor said no injuries were reported and the coffee shop was closed at the time of the fire.
Just after 12:30 p.m., Victoria police reported that they were called to a coffee shop in the 1000-block of Foul Bay Road to assist firefighters. Both Victoria and Oak Bay police redirected traffic around the area.
Officers are responding to assist firefighters at a fire reported at a coffee shop in the 1000-block of Foul Bay Road. We'll be working with @OakBayPolice to control traffic & help keep everyone in the area safe. #yyjtraffic will be impacted. Please use a different route. #yyj
— Victoria Police (@vicpdcanada) September 29, 2020
A witness at a neighbouring business told CHEK the business has been closed since May. The coffee house has been listed as a franchise opportunity online.
Is this your moment to stop watching from the outside and step into owning your own business? This beautiful…
Posted by Good Earth Coffeehouse – Village Walk – Oak Bay, Victoria on Wednesday, September 16, 2020
Victoria firefighters on scene of a fire on Oak Bay Avenue on Sept. 29, 2020.
Victoria firefighters on scene of a fire on Oak Bay Avenue on Sept. 29, 2020.
Victoria firefighters on scene of a fire on Oak Bay Avenue on Sept. 29, 2020.
Victoria firefighters on scene of a fire on Oak Bay Avenue on Sept. 29, 2020.
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