The sharp eye of an off-duty firefighter prevented a fire in a planter box from turning into a tragedy Tuesday.
The firefighter spotted the blaze at about 11:30 p.m. while driving past a home on the 2100 block of Jingle Pot Road.
Ennis Mond, Nanaimo Fire Rescue fire prevention officer, said in an e-mail to the News Bulletin the firefighter woke up the tenants of the house and started extinguishing the flames, which had already spread into the home’s vinyl siding, until fire crews arrived.
The fire was contained to the house exterior and caused no damage to the home interior and no injuries.
Mond said the fire was accidentally started by what appeared to be poorly discarded smoking material.
The owner of the house is insured.