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
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 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.