A Ucluelet couple and their dog lost their home to a house fire on Friday.
UclueletB次元官网网址檚 Fire Chief Rick Geddes told the Westerly B次元官网网址 that the Ucluelet Volunteer Fire Brigade were called to the scene at 5:02 a.m. and he was the first to arrive at the blaze at 5:10 a.m. with his team arriving less than a minute after that.
He said the two-storey homeB次元官网网址檚 carport was B次元官网网址渇ully involvedB次元官网网址� when he arrived and the flames had extended into the house.
He added homes are close together in the neighbourhood where the fire occurred so concern was high that it could spread.
B次元官网网址淭here were houses very close on all three sides. Once we established that no one was in the house, the next biggest concern was protecting the neighbours,B次元官网网址� Geddes said.
B次元官网网址淭he team did a great job of keeping the fire to the structure of origin and not allowing it to spread,B次元官网网址� he said, adding a man and woman who live in the home as well as their dog had all escaped safely outside by the time he arrived.
He added a fence on one side of the house fire roughly 10B次元官网网址� from a neighbouring home was B次元官网网址渃harred,B次元官网网址� but the teamB次元官网网址檚 quick response was able to keep the fire contained.
B次元官网网址淚t can spread so easilyB次元官网网址nce that whole cedar fence goes then itB次元官网网址檚 only a matter of time before that fireB次元官网网址檚 going to spread to the neighbourB次元官网网址檚 place. They did just an amazing job to contain it,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淚t was a really good responseB次元官网网址or our members to just drop everything and have such a quick response is just amazing and they really did an amazing job on scene as well of knocking that fire down. I canB次元官网网址檛 say enough about their effort.B次元官网网址�
He said nine members from the Ucluelet brigade were joined by six members from the Tofino Volunteer Fire Department and the team was able to get the fire under control by 6:30 a.m., but the house is a B次元官网网址渢otal loss.B次元官网网址�
B次元官网网址淭hey brought their ladder truck which is a huge help to us,B次元官网网址� he said of the Tofino crew, adding the mutual aid agreement between both communities is vital.
B次元官网网址淏oth communities rely on it so heavily. Tofino has equipment that we donB次元官网网址檛 have and we have some equipment that they donB次元官网网址檛 have, but itB次元官网网址檚 also just knowing thereB次元官网网址檚 a whole crew of fresh legs coming in,B次元官网网址� he said.
B次元官网网址淲hen Tofino showed up it was great to have a fresh set of legs and also their aerial apparatus was a key component in controlling this fire. Once the fire got up into the attic space, itB次元官网网址檚 really tough to put out unless you can attack it from above, which is exactly what we did. We had Tofino set up the aerial apparatus and just bomb the house from above basically and that was the deciding factor in who was going to win that battle. Without that aerial, IB次元官网网址檓 confident we could have put the fire out but it would have gone on a lot longer and the risk to the neighbourhood would have been much more significant.B次元官网网址�
An investigation is underway to determine the cause of the fire with Geddes working with the RCMP as arson was not immediately ruled out.
B次元官网网址淚nitially, the fire was heaviest in the carport area, so thatB次元官网网址檚 what weB次元官网网址檙e focusing onB次元官网网址e havenB次元官网网址檛 been able to determine the cause,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淓very fire has to be investigated. We have a legal obligation to investigate and report what we find. Sometimes itB次元官网网址檚 just not possible to find a cause. With this one, I did my initial investigation and then also brought in the Office of the Fire Commissioner and RCMP as well for assistance with the investigation. Anytime thereB次元官网网址檚 not a real obvious accidental cause, we have to look at other meansB次元官网网址e bring the RCMP in if thereB次元官网网址檚 any doubt that itB次元官网网址檚 accidental. So far thereB次元官网网址檚 nothing pointing us in either direction, accidental or intentional.B次元官网网址�
He said the displaced couple and their dog are receiving assistance from Emergency Support Services.
The community is rallying around to support their fellow locals with a to help cover some of the costs of their losses.
B次元官网网址淎ll of their possessions have been destroyed. They have also been left without a vehicle. It appears to have started in the carport and within minutes the home was engulfed,B次元官网网址� the GoFundMe page reads. B次元官网网址淒ue to a bureaucratic mixup, unfortunately there was no insurance on his Home. He also had a beautiful Harley Davidson motorbike that had been parked for the season in the carport that was melted and turned to ash from the intense heat. The cause of the fire is unknown at this time, they were only able to get out with the clothes on their backs. Please help out and donate anything you can to help. There is a long road ahead for them and help is needed to get them back on their feet.B次元官网网址�
Anyone interested in supporting the fundraising efforts is encouraged to visit the
DonB次元官网网址檛 miss out on reading the latest local, provincial and national news. Join our community and receive daily news alerts & breaking news, right to your inbox. .
READ MORE:
READ MORE:
READ MORE:
