Update: An Oak Bay firefighter was treated in hospital after suffering smoke inhalation during a Sunday night fire at 57 Beach Dr.
Oak Bay personnel arrived to find the home engulfed in flames, and were assisted by crews from Victoria and Saanich in controlling the blaze
Neighbours said on Facebook that smoke was blowing into their homes. Others said nearby residents were evacuated.
The home had been damaged by fire in the past and was abandoned at the time.
The property has changed hands three times since the fire in 2013.
Government records state that the current owner is Jennifer Chun-Yan Mak, of Saanich. She has owned it less than a month; the transaction was on May 9.
No sale price is listed.
Prior to that, the property sold Nov. 13, 2014 for $640,000. And before that, it sold on Aug. 15, 2014, also for $640,000.
The sale before that took place in May 2006, when the property changed hands for $1.49 million.
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A major blaze raced through a house at Beach Drive and Mountjoy Avenue Sunday evening, lighting the area with an orange glow.
Oak Bay Police Sgt. Rob Smith said on Twitter that the Oak Bay Fire Department and Saanich Fire Department were fighting the fire.
“Fire appears mostly under control,” he wrote shortly after 11 p.m.
“House was meant to be abandoned so no reason to believe anyone was inside.”
The streets were closed to traffic Sunday night.
Neighbours said on Facebook that smoke was blowing into their homes. Others said nearby residents were evacuated.
The house was damaged in a previous fire, in July 2013, but was not repaired and was left vacant. It was known for having a tennis court in the front yard.
The house lost its roof in the 2013 fire.
At the time of the first fire, an Oak Bay fire official said a man was looking after the house for a family that was out of the country. The man, in his 20s, and a dog were the only occupants when the fire broke out.
He had gone to sleep about 11 p.m. after putting a cigarette out in a planter. A couple of hours later, the dog nudged him and woke him. They both escaped.
In an assessment as of July 1, 2017, the property, at 57 Beach Dr., was valued at $1,306,000. The figure reflects the value of just the land; the structure was valued at zero dollars. B.C. Assessment described the 130 feet by 139 feet site as "vacant residential."
Structure fire at Beach Drive. Road closed indefinitely @OakBayFireDept @OakBayPolice #OakBay #yyj pic.twitter.com/9F7SSliukA
— Sgt Rob Smith (@OakBayCop) June 4, 2018
