One person is confirmed dead following a residential fire in Merville Tuesday morning.
Tenants of the Hillview Apartments in Merville were evacuated Tuesday around 11:40 a.m. when the top floor of the eight-unit building caught fire.
A total of 23 Courtenay and Oyster River firefighters attended the blaze at 7437 North Island Hwy.
“Great effort by our crews and Oyster River,” Courtenay Fire Chief Don Bardonnex said. “It went really quick.”
He said five units were not damaged by fire. Two sustained water damage from upstairs.
“The lower floor was untouched by the fire.”
Within the hour, Oyster River firefighters were called to a second fire in the area along the North Island Highway in Black Creek. Initial reports indicate an RV was on fire; no injuries were reported.
Around the same time Tuesday, another fire broke out on Denman Island.
