Bystanders help evacuate elderly couple from Nanaimo house fire

A Nanaimo firetruck is shown: (Nanaimo Fire and Rescue)

Victoria -

Community members are being credited with helping evacuate an elderly couple from a house fire in Nanaimo on Wednesday afternoon.

The fire occurred in the 1900-block of Estevan Road around 12:27 p.m., according to Nanaimo Fire Rescue assistant chief Stuart Kenning.

Kenning says an elderly couple was inside the home when a fire is believed to have started in a sauna on their deck.

Two nearby City of Nanaimo workers sprung into action and helped the couple escape the fire.

Kenning says that flames were visible at the property when firefighters arrived.

Three fire engines, an emergency truck and a rescue truck responded to the scene, and firefighters were quickly able to knock down the fire.

Kenning says that the deck sustained heavy damage in the fire, but the house itself received only minor smoke and water damage.

The fire department says no one was injured in the incident, though a road construction flagger working for the City of Nanaimo says the two municipal workers who helped the elderly couple flee the fire were taken to hospital for smoke inhalation.