The Esso Gas Station on Anderton Road in Comox is a charred ruin today after a car drove into a fuel pump and flames quickly spread from the pump, to the car, then to the convenience store and restaurant.
Flames shot into the sky and black smoke could be seen from some of the nearby islands when fire broke out about 7 p.m. Saturday.
Comox Fire Rescue mounted a quick response with 22 of its members and put out a request for mutual aid, Captain Pascal Lafreniere said Sunday. Courtenay and Cumberland fire departments responded with an aerial truck and an engine.
“It was quite a large fire, of course. We understand it’s always going to be challenging but we have a strong focus on training in the fire department so we’re ready for these kind of events. We had a really rapid professional response. We had a relatively quick knock down of the fire and controlled that fire,” said Lafreniere. “And everyone was safe, which is the most important part. The first responders were safe and it was limited to minor injuries.”
Residents of Anderton Place apartment building were told to leave for several hours because of their close proximity to the fire. One resident suffered smoke inhalation. The driver who struck the fuel pump also had minor injuries, said the fire captain.
Comox RCMP assisted firefighters by shutting down the road and evacuating the apartment building. B.C. Ambulance paramedics were on scene and B.C. Hydro shut off the power.
The cause of the crash is under investigation, said Lafreniere.
Anderton Road was shut down for about three hours.
“I want to send a really big thank you to all the firefighters in Comox as well as to our mutual aid partners, Courtenay and Cumberland fire, the RCMP, B.C. Ambulance and B.C Hydro,” said Lafreniere, who estimated there were 35 firefighters on scene battling the blaze.
Comox firefighters remain on site today making sure there are no hot spots as the day gets warmer. The first responders also have to clean up the fire trucks, making sure they are fully operational.
“We’ll also follow up with the gas station. They’re having a bad day and they may need some resources to get the ball rolling,” said Lafreniere. “They need to talk to their insurance company.”
