Fast action by firefighters helped save a considerable portion of a house engulfed in flames on Escarpment Way outside Crofton Saturday evening, preserving valuable memorabilia for the homeowner.
Crofton fire chief Matt Ludvigson said the call came in shortly after 5:30 p.m. and an immediate request was made for support from Chemainus and Maple Bay departments.
“We then called for Duncan to send a water tender to assist us with maintaining our water supply,” he noted.
Water ran out for less than two minutes, Ludvigson indicated, but it had nothing to do with the water main extension work that is going on.
He noted it took five water tenders running continuously for close to four hours to supply enough water.
The rancher-style house was fully engulfed when firefighters arrived.
“From initial findings it looks like the fire started in the basement and quickly moved to the main floor and out the front window and got into the attic,” noted Ludvigson.
It was determined after about 30 minutes the floor was becoming unstable, he added, and all the interior working crews were pulled out to try and attack it from the outside.
The house sustained major damage in the fire, but Ludvigson was pleased that quite a bit of the family’s personal items were saved. No one was injured and an investigation is underway to determine the cause.
Ludvigson noted congestion on the road was a issue during the early stages.
“We understand that people want to see what is going on, but need to give us the room to move trucks,” he pointed out.
