Early morning fire scorches rental home in Saanich

An early-morning fire on Monday has left a rental home “uninhabitable” in Saanich.

Fire crews responded to a blaze at 95 Crease Ave around 3:30 am on August 28. According to CHEK News, six engines and eighteen firefighters battled the flames.

Neighbours called the police and the inhabitants – four renters – got out when they smelled smoke.

Saanich Deputy Fire Chief Dan Wood told CHEK that after about an hour, some of the firefighters were able to leave, but in total, they were on scene for about three hours.

“We remained until about 6:30 this morning with four firefighters taking care of picking up hoses and cleaning up,” Wood said.

Several Hundred Thousand Dollars in Damage

“Extensive smoke, water, and fire damage,” Wood said. “I don’t know if I could put a value on the contents but probably several hundred thousand dollars in damage.”

Wood said it seemed likely that the cause of the fire was accidental, but Saanich Police and the Saanich Fire Department are still investigating.

Nearby roads and trails were briefly closed, including the Galloping Goose Regional Trail, but all have since reopened.