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South Nanaimo townhouse fire displaces 18, injures one

Oct 22, 2016 | 10:59 AM

NANAIMO — Eighteen people have been forced out of their homes and one person suffered burns after a fire in Nanaimo’s south-end.

Nanaimo Fire Rescue states they were called to a fire around 12:50 a.m. Saturday in the 200 block of Sabiston Street, off Haliburton Street. Crews showed up to a “fully involved” fire in one of the units in a five-unit townhouse, according to a release.

The one unit received “severe” fire damage, while there was heavy smoke damage in all of the other four homes. The release states all 18 people living there got out safely and one person had some burns. All of the residents were given temporary accommodations through the city’s Community Assistance Program.

Nanaimo Fire states at this point they don’t know how the blaze started.