One woman was taken to hospital following a fire in a Saanich apartment building on Friday evening.
At about 4:45 p.m. on Nov. 20, the Saanich Fire Department responded to a 911 call about a blaze that had sparked in a two-story apartment building in the 1500-block of Arrow Road – not far from University Heights Shopping Centre.
The caller reported “smoke and flames” coming from a unit on the first floor, said Asst. Deputy Chief Rob Heppell.
Nice work C Platoon! A quick knockdown to finish their day @SaanichFire . 1500 Block Arrow Rd. Fire confined to suite of origin. Single resident taken to hospital by Paramedics for assessment. pic.twitter.com/RQPowf2ygu
— Robert Heppell (@HeppellRobert) November 21, 2020
Three fire engine companies, a ladder truck and a rescue truck were dispatched and when firefighters arrived, they found that the person in the unit on fire had managed to evacuate along with the other building residents and was being assisted by her neighbours outside, Heppell explained.
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The fire was contained to the unit and firefighters quickly doused the flames but remained at the building for more than two hours to ventilate and investigate, he said, adding that while there was no structural damage, the contents of the apartment were “heavily damaged.”
The resident was taken to the hospital by paramedics to be assessed for possible injuries or smoke inhalation and no other injuries were reported, Heppell said. He noted that her friends from the building were planning to check on her and find her a place to stay upon returning from the hospital as the unit was left uninhabitable.
The incident remains under investigation and the current cause of the fire is unknown.
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