Nanaimo Fire Rescue’s investigators are sifting through debris for clues to the cause of a fire that sent one man to hospital with severe burns, displaced five people and heavily damaged two duplex homes in the city’s south end.
The fire broke out at about 9 p.m. Thursday and when firefighters arrived on scene two homes at 642 and 644 Railway Ave. were ablaze.
According to Nanaimo Fire Rescue, the fire started in the rear rental suite of 644 Railway Ave. and spread to the exterior wall, fence and roof of the duplex home next door.
“The personnel on the first apparatus that arrived discovered that it was two residential structures that were involved,” said Greg Norman, acting Nanaimo fire chief. “The fire was brought under control quickly … Five occupants self-evacuated and two pets as well. One individual [was] coming from the back area and the incident commander, the captain of the first-in engine, noticed he had severe burns to his upper body.”
The victim was treated by firefighters at the scene before he was transferred to B.C. Ambulance crews who rushed him to Nanaimo Regional General Hospital. He was later airlifted to Royal Jubilee Hospital in Victoria. No update on his condition was available as of Friday morning.
Karen Lindsay, Nanaimo Emergency Services coordinator, said one of the remaining four occupants had fire insurance and was provided lodging through her insurer. Another resident was billeted with a friend and two residents were provided 72 hours’ food and lodging through the city’s Emergency Social Services program.
The cause of the fire remains under investigation.
In a separate fire investigation this week, Nanaimo Fire Rescue determined that a fire which burned a bedroom suite on Selby Street on Wednesday was started by a tealight candle.
“For our purposes, the educational point is candles – I don’t allow them in my house,” Norman said.
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