Mill Bay home destroyed, man suffers burns in fire
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.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Canadian gov't proposes new foreign influence registry as part of wide-spanning new bill
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's government is proposing a suite of new measures and law changes aimed at countering foreign interference in Canada, amid extensive scrutiny over past meddling attempts and an ever-evolving threat landscape.
Boeing Starliner capsule's first crewed test flight postponed
The long-awaited first crewed test flight of Boeing's new Starliner space capsule was called off for at least 24 hours over a technical issue that launch teams were unable to resolve in time for the planned Monday night lift-off.
Teacher charged in historical sexual assault of Calgary teenage girl
Calgary police have charged a teacher with the alleged sexual assault of a teenage girl more than 20 years ago.
Winnipeg man admits to killing four women, argues he's not criminally responsible
Defence lawyers of Jeremy Skibicki have admitted in court the accused killed four Indigenous women, but argues he is not criminally responsible for the deaths by way of mental disorder – this latest development has triggered a judge-alone trial rather than a jury trial.
Man banned from owning animals after fatal Calgary dog attack
The owner of three Calgary dogs that got loose and mauled a woman to death in 2022 has been ordered to pay a $15,000 fine within one year and banned from owning any animal for 15 years.
East-end Ottawa family dealing with massive rat infestation
Residents in Ottawa’s Elmridge Gardens complex are dealing with a rat infestation that just won’t go away. Now, after doing everything they can to try to fix the issue, they are pleading with the city to step in and help.
Mediterranean staple may lower your risk of death from dementia, study finds
A daily spoonful of olive oil could lower your risk of dying from dementia, according to a new study by Harvard scientists.
An El Nino-less summer is coming. Here's what that could mean for Canada
As Canadians brace themselves for summer temperatures, forecasters say a weakening El Nino cycle doesn’t mean relief from the heat.
Newfoundland and Labrador latest province to tighten rules on Airbnbs
Newfoundland and Labrador is the latest jurisdiction to bring in stricter rules for short-term rentals, with a coming set of regulations that will force operators to register with the provincial government.