Wednesday November 20, 2024 | SAANICH, BC
by Mary P Brooke | Island Social Trends
[See update on November 21, 2024]
A large fire in Saanich broke out at about 12:40 a.m. in the morning, November 20.
It was at a building under construction in the 3800-block of Quadra Street at Lodge Avenue. Construction of the building had been nearly complete.
Fueled by high winds (during the bomb cyclone that took down trees and power lines around Vancouver Island last night), the fire quickly spread with embers reaching as far as Saanich Road.
Saanich Fire Department responded with a team of 22 firefighters and received mutual aid from the Victoria Fire Department to help control the incident.
“Confronted with an extremely challenging situation under difficult conditions, our firefighters, along with those from the Victoria Fire Department, performed admirably to contain the fire and prevent further damage to adjacent buildings,” says Saanich Fire Chief Michael Kaye.
“We want to assure residents that we are taking every measure to ensure a swift recovery effort. We are incredibly grateful for the cooperation and resilience shown by all the residents and involved agencies as we navigate this challenging situation together.”
Firefighters were able to quickly manage several spot fires, including one on the balcony of a building across the street. As a precautionary measure, homes, apartments, and condominium buildings in the affected area were evacuated, with support provided by BC Transit buses to shelter residents temporarily. The District of Saanich established an emergency reception centre at the Saanich Commonwealth Place, where 15 individuals were provided shelter, food and assistance. Affected residents were able to return home this morning.
Cause of the fire:
The cause of the blaze has not yet been determeind.
Heat:
People could feel the heat of the fire from various distances. Cars along nearby streets incurred some melting due to the heat of the fire.
On-site cleanup:
Saanich crews are currently on-site cleaning up debris and ensuring that waterways are protected by limiting run-off into storm drains.
Next steps:
- Quadra Street will remain closed Wednesday to ensure public safety and facilitate BC Hydro’s work on the power lines and poles.
- The District of Saanich encourages the community to plan for the road closure to continue into Thursday as crews will remain on-site.
- BC Hydro is working to restore power to the affected area, but outages are expected to persist due to the complexities involving construction scaffolding on power lines and fire damage.
- The District continues to liaise with emergency services to expedite the recovery process and minimize disruption for residents.
Residents seeking assistance should contact emergency services.
For further updates, visit saanich.ca .
===== RELATED:
NEWS SECTIONS: EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS & SAFETY | VANCOUVER ISLAND