The owner of a mobile home that caught fire in Songhees Nation late last night said she hasnB次元官网网址檛 been able to sleep for the past 12 hours.

B次元官网网址淎t first I didnB次元官网网址檛 know what it was. I heard an explosion. I said, B次元官网网址榃hat the hell is that?B次元官网网址橞次元官网网址� Sheila Bridger said the next morning.

On Oct. 23, two homes on Middle Road in Songhees Nation caught fire, and 39 firefighters helped put out the flames.

Just after 11 p.m., Bridger was sitting on her couch watching TV when she heard a strange noise. When she got up to see what was happening, she heard popping and something hitting their roof. Bridger thought it might be a hail storm, until she looked out the window and saw the mobile home next to hers engulfed in flames.

B次元官网网址淚 could feel the heat on my face,B次元官网网址� Bridger said.

She immediately went to help her husband, who recently had a quadruple bypass and stroke and is legally blind, out of bed. Bridger got her grandchildren out of bed, grabbed the cat and told her sons to move their cars away from the house. (Next door, the neighbourB次元官网网址檚 car still sits in the driveway, damaged by heat.)

B次元官网网址淢y place is basically a total loss. I lost everything,B次元官网网址� Bridger said, and started to cry. B次元官网网址淎ll the clothes, all the jewelry, all my memorabilia. Things I had for 50 years is gone. ItB次元官网网址檚 pretty devastating because now we donB次元官网网址檛 know where weB次元官网网址檙e going to live.B次元官网网址�

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Bridger said she and her husband moved their family to their mobile home on Middle Road so it would be easier for her to be his full-time caregiver.

B次元官网网址淚 canB次元官网网址檛 seem to sleep because I keep thinking about the peace and quiet I was having on the couch and then in the blink of an eye, everything I owned is gone,B次元官网网址� she said through tears.

RCMP told Bridger their investigation would take two to three days. A firefighter retrieved her husbandB次元官网网址檚 medication and walking cane from inside their burnt home. In the meantime, BridgerB次元官网网址檚 family has been offered a room in a hotel, where they spent the night. She doesnB次元官网网址檛 know yet if the fire is being considered suspicious.

Jorden Bridger, SheilaB次元官网网址檚 21-year-old son who also lives in the mobile home, went door-to-door to tell neighbours to evacuate. Sheila Bridger said she doesnB次元官网网址檛 know if the woman who lives in the home where the fire started had time to warn anyone else. Neighbours told Bridger the woman next door escaped the flames B次元官网网址� which she said started on the deck, blocking the front door B次元官网网址� by crawling out the kitchen window.

B次元官网网址淪he was standing there screaming, B次元官网网址楳y catB次元官网网址檚 in there, my catB次元官网网址檚 in thereB次元官网网址�,B次元官网网址� Bridger said, adding that she thinks the woman was in shock. B次元官网网址淚 was in shock as well. You do strange things that you wouldnB次元官网网址檛 normally do when youB次元官网网址檙e that terrified.B次元官网网址�

The cause of the fire is still under investigation but the West Shore RCMP confirmed evidence collected so far suggests the fire is suspicious.

B次元官网网址淭his fire caused a significant amount of damage B次元官网网址� Many lives could have been at risk had it grown further. We are looking for witnesses to come forward and assist us with this investigation,B次元官网网址� said Const. Nancy Saggar.

Bridger said she heard people talking about what may have caused it while they were evacuated, but is waiting to hear the official results of the investigation.

B次元官网网址淚 donB次元官网网址檛 know if itB次元官网网址檚 suspicious. All I know is my home is gone and basically so is hers,B次元官网网址� Bridger said. B次元官网网址淚 donB次元官网网址檛 know which story is true or if any of them are true. IB次元官网网址檓 not going to point my finger at her until the fire inspector looks at me and says, B次元官网网址楾his is what caused the fireB次元官网网址�.

B次元官网网址淣one of us are police officers, none of us are fire investigators. WeB次元官网网址檙e neighbours. Nobody has the right to judge anybody else.B次元官网网址�

READ MORE: Emergency crews respond to structure fire on Songhees Nation

@KeiliBartlett
keili.bartlett@blackpress.ca

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