Mill Bay home destroyed, man suffers burns in fire

Firefighters battle a house fire on Arbutus Terrace in Mill Bay, B.C.

One man suffered burns and smoke inhalation after a house fire in Mill Bay, B.C., on Saturday.

The Mill Bay Fire Department received the call for the fully involved house fire on Arbutus Terrace at 4:11 p.m.

Mill Bay firefighters, with the mutual aid of the Shawnigan Lake and Cowichan Bay fire departments, worked to stop the fire from spreading to the surrounding wooded area.

"We were very lucky," said Mill Bay fire Chief Ron Beck. "That time of day we normally get a wind that comes up off the ocean and for some reason we just didn’t have that and that prevented it from heading into the forest, creating a wildfire."

With the crews focusing on stopping the spread of the fire, the house was lost to the blaze and most of what remains is rubble.

With the crews focusing on stopping the spread of the fire, the house was lost to the blaze and most of what remains is rubble. (CTV News)

"I tend many fires and it’s hard to image losing your house and all your contents and things," Beck said. "Very devastating."

The fire chief says the homeowners – a husband and wife – were home at the time and made it out safely but the husband suffered burns and smoke inhalation after going back inside to rescue the couple’s two dogs and several cats.

The cats and one of the dogs are safe but the other dog was unaccounted for Monday.

With the crews focusing on stopping the spread of the fire, the house was lost to the blaze and most of what remains is rubble. (CTV News)

Beck says the couple was taken to hospital for care.

Fire crews stayed on scene until 3 a.m. Sunday to ensure the fire was completely out.

The cause of the fire is not known and is under investigation.