No one was injured when a motorhome and a trailer were destroyed by fire at Esquimalt’s Westbay Marine Village on Tuesday.
The fire began in the motorhome, which was “fully involved” when Esquimalt firefighters arrived about 2 a.m., said Assistant Chief Steve Serbic.
The two people inside were alerted by a smoke detector and got out safely, he said.
A fifth wheel on one side of the motorhome was also destroyed, while one on the other side was damaged. The occupants of both fifth wheels also escaped without injury, Serbic said.
Linda Holland said she and her husband, who own the damaged fifth wheel, woke up when they heard an explosion.
“I don’t know if it was a tire exploding next door or a propane tank,” she said. “I have no idea.”
The fifth wheel could end up being a writeoff, she said, noting that they can’t stay in it now since “the door is pretty much melted off.”
“But at least we didn’t lose everything like the other people, thankfully,” she added.
Holland said she and her husband live in the recreational-vehicle area almost full time and travel a few months of the year.
All of those affected are long-term guests at the facility’s RV park, Serbic said.
Serbic said the cause of the fire has not been determined.
He said the fire department and Westbay owners have been co-operating on safety plans for the RV park, and it served firefighters well.
“It worked seamlessly,” Serbic said. “Firefighters’ knowledge of the grounds was quite good.”
CFB Esquimalt firefighters assisted, he said.
Serbic said the outcome of the incident shows the value of being prepared. “If there’s a message out there for anybody in a motor home, it’s to make sure there are working smoke alarms because they made a difference.”
