Eleven residents have been displaced following a fire at a low-income apartment building in Esquimalt.
Esquimalt Fire Chief Matt Furlot said firefighters arrived to 554 Garrett Pl. about 2 a.m. Sunday and found a second-floor suite “fully involved” in fire.
With the help of fire crews from CFB Esquimalt, Victoria and View Royal, they were able to extinguish the fire. The entire building had to be evacuated, he said.
“There was quite a bit of damage on the second floor,” he said.
The fire started in a vacant suite that had its door open and spread to the balcony, Furlot said, adding that the cause of the fire is still under investigation.
One person on social media said her mother, who lives next to the vacant unit, suffered smoke inhalation and was taken to the hospital.
Salvation Army spokesperson Gina Haggett confirmed that a resident was taken to hospital as a precaution and has since been released.
She said the organization is working with Victoria police and co-operating with investigators.
Township spokesperson Tara Zajac said some residents have been able to return to their suites.
Five people are staying in hotels through Esquimalt’s emergency support services, while three stayed with friends and three others went to a Salvation Army facility in Victoria, Zajac said.
Esquimalt is working on finding additional support for displaced residents beyond the 72-hour emergency support service timeframe, she said.
The 30-unit Matson Sequoia building on Garrett Place is operated by the Salvation Army in partnership with BC Housing and offers subsidized housing for single tenants over the age of 45, according to the Salvation Army website.
