An early morning fire in a yacht moored at Townsite Marina Thursday could have been worse had a smoke alarm not awakened the the craft's owner who was sleeping on board.
The owner escaped unharmed, but the fire, started at about 3 a.m. by a glass oil lamp, significantly damaged the boat's interior.
The sleeping occupant of an apartment on the 400 block of Selby Street was lucky to escape, again thanks to a smoke alarm heard by a resident in the building who entered the suite with an fire extinguisher to control a fire Friday at about 4:30 p.m. The fire was caused by poorly discarded smoking materials.
Alan Millbank, Nanaimo Fire Rescue fire prevention officer, deemed both fires accidental and preventable and cautions people to ensure smoking materials are extinguished, never leave burning candles, lamps or incense unattended, and that smoke alarms are installed and working in homes.