'It's really sad': Canned goods must be thrown out after fire at Victoria Mustard Seed
The largest food bank service on southern Vancouver Island is reeling after a fire damaged part of its facility in Victoria, resulting in fresh and canned foods needing to be thrown out.
At least four pallets of canned goods, as well as hygiene products like diapers and toilet paper, have to be thrown away due to smoke impacts caused by the Monday morning fire, according to Mustard Seed director of operations Treska Watson.
A fire at the Mustard Seed in Victoria. (Howie Allan)"We're devastated," she said Thursday. "It's really sad. We serve vulnerable communities."
Watson says it's too early to estimate the value of what's been lost by the fire.
"It's a lot," she said.
The Mustard Seed is still operating out of its parking lot from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Monday through Friday.
"It's a lot for someone to reach a point where they come down and access our services," said Watson. "We just want to make sure that doesn't stop… because it's already hard."
The Mustard Seed says the best way to support it right now is through financial donations on its website.
Watson says she's grateful for the support from the community as well as staff.
"We're so grateful for the overwhelming help and support," she said.
"We have an incredible team and I'm super moved by them."
On Monday, the Victoria Fire Department said the fire started outside the structure but then extended into an entranceway, based on preliminary investigations.
Seventeen firefighters and six apparatuses were deployed to the fire. There were no reports of injuries.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Spectacular aurora light show to be seen across Canada Friday night
A rare and severe solar storm is expected to bring spectacular displays of the northern lights, also known as aurora borealis, across much of Canada and parts of the United States on Friday night.
Which Canadian cities have the highest and lowest grocery prices?
Where you live plays a big factor in what you pay at the grocery store. And while it's no secret the same item may have a different price depending on the store, city or province, we wanted to see just how big the differences are, and why.
McGill University seeks emergency injunction to dismantle pro-Palestinian encampment
McGill University has filed a request for an injunction to have the pro-Palestinian encampment removed from its campus.
Swarm of 20,000 bees gather around woman’s car west of Toronto
A swarm of roughly 20,000 bees gathered around a woman’s car in the parking lot of Burlington Centre.
U.S. says Israel's use of U.S. arms likely violated international law, but evidence is incomplete
The Biden administration said Friday that Israel's use of U.S.-provided weapons in Gaza likely violated international humanitarian law but wartime conditions prevented U.S. officials from determining that for certain in specific airstrikes.
Barron Trump declines to serve as an RNC delegate
Former U.S. President Donald Trump's youngest son, Barron Trump, has declined to serve as a delegate at this summer’s Republican National Convention, according to a senior Trump campaign adviser and a statement from Melania Trump's office.
Mother assaulted by stranger while breastfeeding baby in her car: Vancouver police
A person was arrested in East Vancouver Thursday after allegedly entering a car while a mother was breastfeeding her four-month-old boy.
'We have laws': Premier Smith says police action justified in Calgary
The actions, including the decision to use non-lethal force, to disperse pro-Palestinian protesters from the University of Calgary campus were justified, Alberta Premier Danielle Smith said Friday.
'State or state-sponsored actor' believed to be behind B.C. government hacks
The head of British Columbia’s civil service has revealed that a “state or state-sponsored actor” is behind multiple cyber-security incidents against provincial government networks.