Skip to content

Boy dies from injuries suffered in apartment fire

NANAIMO – A fire in downtown Nanaimo claims life of seven-year-old boy on weekend.

A seven-year-old boy has died of injuries he sustained in an apartment fire on the weekend.

The fire, which broke out in a commercial building with upstairs apartments in the 300 block of Albert Street, was spotted by RCMP members driving by shortly after 3 a.m. Saturday.

The officers tried to get into the building when they were made aware there was a child still inside, but with the upstairs fully engulfed in flame, were unable to enter.

Two Nanaimo Fire Rescue firefighters went in and retrieved the boy from the premises. He was treated at the scene by paramedics before being rushed to Nanaimo Regional General Hospital and then transferred by Canadian Coast Guard hovercraft to B.C. Children's Hospital in Vancouver where he died of his injuries later that morning.

The B.C. Coroners Office identified the child Monday as Dominik Ambrose David Billy of Nanaimo.

Crews battled the blaze for more than an hour to bring it under control.

The two adults and six children who lived in a second-storey apartment of the building were accounted for and were not injured. They are being assisted by the City of Nanaimo Community Assistance Program and RCMP Victim Services.

Alan Millbank, Nanaimo Fire Rescue fire prevention officer, said the fire is still under investigation and has been turned over to the B.C. Coroners Office.

“The coroner is essentially the lead agency on this and our fire investigators are continuing with their own investigation in assistance with the coroner and when we have any information those results will be released to the coroner,” said Craig Richardson, Nanaimo fire chief. “Our thoughts are with the family at this time. That’s all we know and we’re still investigating.”

photos@nanaimobulletin.com



Chris Bush

About the Author: Chris Bush

As a photographer/reporter with the Nanaimo News Bulletin since 1998.
Read more