An electric scooter is believed to be the cause of a fire that broke out in an apartment building at Melrose and Second Avenue late on the night of Thursday, April 16.
"Early reports are that it was an electric scooter in one of the apartments that somehow caught fire. Pley cautioned that the reports were unconfirmed, pending an investigation.
The call came at at 11:18 p.m. and city, Beaver Creek, Cherry Creek and Sproat Lake fire departments all responded to the call at the two floor, 14 unit apartment, Port Alberni Fire Department Chief Tim Pley said.
The fire started in the upper floor of the middle of the north side of the building, Pley said.
"It's heavily damaged. The suite of origin is effectively destroyed. The roof is gone off at least half the building, possibly all of the building," said Pley. "There'll be water damage on both floors and smoke damage as well."
While only one or two suites were burning, the fire spread along the entire top of the building through the attic.
"The fire itself was only in the one suite, might be two suites there, then it got into the attic and ran the length of the building,"Pley said. "I don't think we'll see actual fire damage in the other suites, it'll be smoke and water damage."
One person was transported to the hospital with chest pains and the occupant of the suite where the fire started "was exposed to a fair bit of smoke but was not transported to hospital."
Fire crews will stay at the scene throughout the night.
"This fire was so deep seated that so there's lot of glowing embers and whatnot," Pley said. "I think we'll be here all night, possibly. Till it cools down."
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