Neighbours praise regional fire departments for saving nearby houses and parkland after a massive fire tore through an uninhabited Oak Bay house June 3.

B次元官网网址淚t was ripping,B次元官网网址� said Gordon Marshall, Oak Bay Assistant Fire Chief, B次元官网网址渢hrough the whole upper floors from one side of the house to the other and out the roof.B次元官网网址�

The Oak Bay, Saanich, and Victoria fire departments tackled the blaze at 57 Beach Drive for four hours from around 10:30 p.m. to just after 2 a.m. Monday morning. More than 20 crew members helped fight the blaze.

A previous fire at the same residence in 2013 further complicated matters as it left the building structurally unsafe to enter.

One Oak Bay firefighter was taken to hospital for treatment of smoke inhalation.

B次元官网网址淗eB次元官网网址檚 been released from hospital. HeB次元官网网址檚 recovering from minor smoke inhalation,B次元官网网址� said Fire Chief Dave Cockle. B次元官网网址淥ur expectation is that heB次元官网网址檒l be back at work on the next shift.B次元官网网址�

Great Firefighting work last night by on a difficult access house fire. Clear common radio communications and dispatch ensured quick and safe by FFB次元官网网址檚

B次元官网网址� Dan Wood (@firechiefwood)

Neighbour Karen Brook says police came to the house to let them know about the fire.

B次元官网网址淜nowing the history of this house and that it had gone up in flames before we were up and dressed and prepared,B次元官网网址� Brook said.

She and her husband watched the fire from nearby Sylvan Lane and could see B次元官网网址渇lames shooting out sideways.B次元官网网址�

B次元官网网址淟uckily for the community and this hill, the fire departments of Saanich and Oak Bay took good care of the trees, the embers and got a handle on the fire or the whole hill would have probably followed suit,B次元官网网址� Brook said. B次元官网网址淲ho hasnB次元官网网址檛 thought about Fort McMurray and just how quickly things spread when youB次元官网网址檝e got trees of this height and dryness. If this had been summer who knows how far this could have gone.B次元官网网址�

Neighbour Christine McAuley had to evacuate overnight with her family.

B次元官网网址淚 never realized how loud a fire can be. It was pretty scary,B次元官网网址� says McAuley, whose husband called 911 after seeing the fire around 10:30 p.m.

There are just a few trees between the two neighbouring properties B次元官网网址� trees McAuley thought were on fire because the fire was so big and there was so much smoke.

B次元官网网址淲e grabbed our dogs and daughter and left the house,B次元官网网址� she said.

B次元官网网址淚 just wanted to express how nerve-wracking it was being a neighbour to a house that actually has been empty for a number of years and probably should have been demolished years ago,B次元官网网址� McAuley said.

RELATED: (2013)

Oak Bay fire and police keep an eye on empty buildings and there is a bylaw ensuring buildings are secure, said Cockle. The owner of the house, who purchased it in 2015, has been compliant with those bylaws, he added.

A building permit to rebuild the home was approved in February, said Cockle.