Firefighters were able to contain a blaze in a Sixth Avenue duplex to one side of the residence on Friday, Feb. 8.
Port Alberni Fire Department was called out just after noon on Friday to reports of a side-by-side duplex on fire. Because it involved a multi-family home, crews from Sproat Lake, Cherry Creek and Beaver Creek volunteer fire departments were also called out.
“The fast response coupled with strategies and tactics by our on-duty captain kept the fire to the suite of origin,” said Port Alberni fire Chief Mike Owens, who has been on the job for five days.
“Props to our duty crew for going in and aggressively fighting the fire.”
One person inside the suite at the time of the fire was treated by paramedics at the scene and released; members of the Red Cross’ emergency social services were assisting him, as he was unable to return to the suite.
“The origin was a cooking fire,” Owens said.
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A snow squall that began shortly before the fire departments were called out to the fire kept crews busy, Owens said. “Just as we were cleaning up from the (duplex fire) scene there was an MVI out towards Cathedral Grove.” The accident involved two vehicles.
As another team of firefighters was preparing to leave a call for a first responder also came in, and they were diverted to that call.
The Sixth Avenue fire was the second for PAFD in a week. Last Wednesday they responded to a call at 3:13 a.m. Wednesday for a fire on the outside of a three-story apartment in the 4000-block of Seventh Avenue. Arson is suspected.
“The origin of the fire was on the exterior corner of the building and there was nothing there that would start it,” he said. The case was turned over to the RCMP for investigation.
