Residents escape house fire in Metchosin, B.C.
All occupants of a home in Metchosin, B.C., were able to escape a fire that ignited Thursday evening.
The Metchosin Fire Department says there were three residents inside the home as well as several guests at the time of the fire.
Everyone was able to escape the blaze uninjured, and one guest even tried to extinguish the flames on their own before firefighters arrived.
Metchosin Fire Chief Stephanie Dunlop says the fire department was called to the home in the 5000-block of La Bonne Road around 8:30 p.m.
When firefighters arrived, flames could be seen coming from the roof of the home.
The fire was reported around 8:30 p.m. on Nov. 24, 2022. (Metchosin Fire Chief Stephanie Dunlop)
Dunlop says the fire coincidentally occurred during a firefighting training night, so a larger than usual response was able to attend the blaze quickly.
About 30 firefighters and six engines responded to the call. Automatic calls for mutual aid also went out to nearby fire departments in Sooke, East Sooke and Otter Point.
Dunlop says there were no fire hydrants near the home, so water had to be tendered to the scene, which caused a bit of a challenge.
It took crews less than an hour to knock down the flames, and firefighters remained at the home overnight to monitor for hotspots, says Dunlop.
The cause of the fire is still under investigation, though firefighters believe the fire started in the roof of the home.
Emergency Support Services in Langford are helping look after the residents of the home, according to Dunlop.
Metchosin's fire chief says she's thankful for the responses from all mutual aid partners, and is encouraging islanders to make sure their chimneys are inspected and that their fireplaces are WETT-certified as cold temperatures settle in.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
BREAKING Another suspect arrested in Toronto Pearson airport gold heist: police
Another suspect is in custody in connection with the gold heist at Toronto Pearson International Airport last year, police say.
Poilievre-led government 'would never' use notwithstanding clause on abortion, his office says
A Conservative government led by Pierre Poilievre would not legislate on, nor use the notwithstanding clause, on abortion, his office says, as anti-abortion protesters gather on Parliament Hill.
Why these immigrants to Canada say they're thinking about leaving, or have already moved on
For some immigrants, their dreams of permanently settling in Canada have taken an unexpected twist.
Ontario family receives massive hospital bill as part of LTC law, refuses to pay
A southwestern Ontario woman has received an $8,400 bill from a hospital in Windsor, Ont., after she refused to put her mother in a nursing home she hated -- and she says she has no intention of paying it.
Here are the ultraprocessed foods you most need to avoid, according to a 30-year study
Studies have shown that ultraprocessed foods can have a detrimental impact on health. But 30 years of research show they don’t all have the same impact.
From outer space? Sask. farmers baffled after discovering strange wreckage in field
A family of fifth generation farmers from Ituna, Sask. are trying to find answers after discovering several strange objects lying on their land.
Miss Teen USA steps down just days after Miss USA's resignation
Miss Teen USA resigned Wednesday, sending further shock waves through the pageant community just days after Miss USA said she would relinquish her crown.
Cyclist strikes child crossing the street to catch school bus in Montreal
A video circulating on social media of a young girl being hit by a bike has some calling for better safety and more caution when designing bike lanes in the city. The video shows a four-year-old girl crossing Jeanne-Mance Street in Montreal's Plateau neighbourhood to get on a school bus stopped on the opposite side of the street
BREAKING 6 injured in Sharbot Lake, Ont. crash; 2 in life-threatening condition
Ontario Provincial Police say six people have suffered severe injuries in a single-vehicle crash in Sharbot Lake, Ont, including two in life-threatening condition.