A powerful fire that ripped through an unfinished townhouse complex in Saanich Sunday night is suspicious, fire officials say.

Firefighters were called to the scene around 8:30 p.m. to the 4000-block of Cedar Hill Road, near McKenzie Avenue.

The blaze sparked in a building under construction that had no electricity, according to Saanich Deputy Fire Chief Steve Hannah.

"Our fire trucks were damaged, it was so hot," Hannah said.

Flames jumped as high as 70 feet in the air and plumes of smoke could be seen around Greater Victoria as fire crews from Saanich, Oak Bay and Victoria battled the blaze.

Neighbours reported hearing a series of loud explosions, which fire officials said were barbecue propane tanks, as flames quickly spread to neighbouring buildings.

Emergency officials ordered the evacuation of four buildings in the area.

“I had opened the back door and started taking some pictures of the fire going up into the sky, and then the explosions started,” said Christina Teskey, who grabbed her family, cats, keys and cell phone before evacuating her building.

“It was so hot you could feel the fire on your face even from our back door. It was massive.”

Embers swirling in the air posed another challenge for firefighters.

“It was a substantial fire, there were embers that were coming off and landing on nearby trees where small little spot fires were starting,” said Saanich Police spokeswoman Sgt. Julie Fast.

The fire gutted the construction site and it remains to be seen what the extent of the damage is at neighbouring homes.

There were no reports of any injuries.

BC Hydro cut power to about 100 homes as a precaution.

“Literally was stepping on embers and turned around to see twice the size of my building,” said Mark Newfeld. “I think it’s quite remarkable, to be honest that the fire crews put it out that fast.”

Firefighters contained the blaze within a half an hour, and remained on the scene into the night putting out hot spots.

A BC Transit bus was on scene to help displaced residents, and others in the community have offered their support.

“Already I’ve had seven complete strangers see us in bare feet and say ‘Do you need a place to stay, can we bring you in?’” Newfeld said. “It’s always remarkable to see how community comes together.”

Most of the 40 people evacuated have since been able to return home. Six people remain displaced and have been put up in hotels.

The cause of the blaze is still under investigation.

Other suspicious fires remain unsolved

The suspicious fire comes about the month after a case of arson at a nearby Home Depot on Shelbourne Street.

Firefighters extinguished the April 9 blaze near the store’s paint department.

No suspect has been identified but investigators said that fire was set intentionally.

A couple of weeks later on April 27, a suspicious fire at the Toys ‘R Us location at Mayfair Shopping Centre forced the partial evacuation of the mall.

Store employees managed to douse flames that  started in the stuffed toy aisle before firefighters arrived.

Investigators recently appealed for more witnesses to come forward in that incident.