A shed that caught fire on Eighth Avenue behind a former homeless shelter was destroyed in the wee hours of July 6, 2023.
The outbuilding was already fully involved by the time firefighters arrived, Port Alberni Fire Dept. deputy chief Wes Patterson said. Sproat Lake and Cherry Creek volunteer fire departments also responded to the mutual aid call. An ambulance was on standby and BC Hydro was also called because a hydro line was affected.
Ashley Dawn Bains, who lives within visual distance of the fire, took some photos and video of the intense blaze just as the fire departments were arriving. “The blue hue is from the electrical wires burning and crackling,” she said.
“The shed was destroyed in the fire,” Patterson said. The blaze also damaged a fence across the alleyway, but was otherwise contained. There were no injuries, he added.
The fire was suspicious because there was no power to the building and nobody on the property at the time, he said. It was too soon to determine an exact cause.
The fire was just one of a flurry of calls for the Port Alberni Fire Department last week. Over the Canada Day long weekend, between June 30 and July 3, the department answered 34 calls. “The bulk of those were medical assist, first responder calls, and two motor vehicle incidents.”
The department had two calls for backyard fires over the long weekend. With the fire danger extreme, the department is no longer handing out warnings for people who don’t comply with open burning bans. “We’re beyond the point of informing people. We’ll call bylaw,” Patterson said.
susie.quinn@albernivalleynews.com
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