One person was taken to hospital with serious burns, following a Thursday-night fire at Parksville’s River Green Resort.
Investigators are still probing the cause of the blaze, which destroyed a single building. Firefighters from Coombs, Errington and Qualicum Beach were also on hand to offer assistance.
Fire crews wrap up early Friday morning after huge blaze at Parksville’s River Green Resort. pic.twitter.com/8WIR2tPsL3
— Philip Wolf (@philipwolf13) June 7, 2019
Parksville Fire Department got the call at approximately 9:30 p.m. When fire crews arrived at the scene, Fire Chief Marc Norris said the single-storey duplex building was quite involved in flames.
“The building was consumed with fire,” said Norris. “There was a report of an initial explosion before the fire started and the building suffered structural damage.”
There was a person inside each of the cabin units when the fire broke out, said Norris, who added one person suffered suffered serious burns and was taken to Nanaimo General Hospital. The person in the other unit was shaken and treated for minor injuries.
The damage to the building, Norris said, was extensive. Quick action by fire crews, he said, helped contain the fire to just the one building.
Steven Shea, who was staying in another of the resort cabins, said he came out for a cigarette and witnessed the explosion that residents miles away reported hearing it prior to the blaze.
“I watched the whole building kind of almost ballooned and then the roof lifted up and part of the wall came down,” said Shea, who quickly called 911. “A fellow came out of [one unit] on fire and went rolling on the grass and a lady came out from the bigger unit and she was all messed-up and she had insulation on her head because it blew. I mean that thing just lifted. It was quite ominous. I said ‘holy cow, holy cow’.”
READ MORE: Fire crews extinguish blaze at Parksville’s River Green Resort
Oceanside RCMP Const. Danielle Moxey said they were alerted about the fire shortly after it began. They arrived to see the building in flames. Police and fire officials continue their investigation.
