An Oak Bay roofing contractor is wondering when he’ll be able to get back to work after his 3-year-old work truck went up in flames during a dramatic fire early Friday morning.
Waking up to a loud bang just after 3 a.m., Michael Magdalenich said he looked outside his window to find the truck fully engulfed.
The Oak Bay Fire Department responded to his 9-1-1 call and were on scene until close to 5: 30 a.m. working to get the fire under control. The Ford F250 truck was a complete write-off, work ladders melting from the ladder racks, after the fire in the 2100-block of Neil Street.
“There was nothing left of my truck,” Magdalenich said. “The fire crews were here for over two hours. It just wouldn’t go out.”
Magdalenich is dealing with the loss of his truck and wallet, which was in the truck at the time of the blaze, during the week between Christmas and New Year’s – a notoriously difficult time to get anything done as most government offices are shut for the week.
“I put a claim in but I can’t even get anything dealt with until after New Year’s,” said Magdalenich.
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The Oak Bay Fire Department said Saturday that the fire is still under investigation.
While the fire has not yet been deemed suspicious, Magdalenich is concerned.
“I don’t think it is possible for a fire like that to start on its own, so it makes you really wonder why anyone would do that,” said Magdalenich. “I just hope they don’t come back. It’s one thing for it to be a truck, it is another for my house and family.”
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