People and their pets living in a home near Mill Bay were able to safely escape a fire after big trucks along the Trans Canada Highway noticed the flames and smoke and stopped to blast their air horns.
Mill Bay Fire Rescue said people in the home heard the noise at about 5 a.m. Saturday and left the home before firefighters arrived at the scene. No one was injured.
Crews arrived in the area of Chapman Road and the Trans Canada to heavy fire and smoke coming from the third floor of the structure.
Mill Bay Fire said in a Facebook post that crews made an initial attack with a 2.5-inch line and then supported operations with hand lines deployed around the structure.
Firefighters were able to contain the fire to the third floor, but the building sustained heavy smoke and water damage, and the third floor collapsed to lower levels.
The Shawnigan Lake Fire Department, Emergency Support Services and paramedics were also on scene to assist with the fire, which was cleared at about 2 p.m. on Saturday, said Mill Bay Fire.
