A blaze that broke out early Thursday has displaced one woman and left her home a total loss.
Firefighters were called out shortly before 5 a.m. to the mobile home at 49-1000 Chase River Rd. in Petroglyph Mobile Home Park. The fire was already too far advanced to save much of the structure when they arrived, but crews were able to prevent the fire from spreading to nearby homes.
Alan Millbank, Nanaimo Fire Rescue fire prevention officer, said a woman in her 70s who lived in the home escaped unharmed, thanks to a working smoke alarm. The mobile home is insured, but she appeared to have lost most of her belongings in the fire. She is staying with family members in Duncan.
The woman was reunited with her cat, which had gone missing for a few hours after the fire.
Rick Kwasnecha, fire prevention officer, said fires in older mobile homes spread rapidly, in part because drywall, which does not burn and slows fire advance, was not incorporated in to their construction.
The cause of the fire was determined to be related to smoking and deemed accidental.