A fire heavily damaged a home on Sarum Rise Way in Nanaimo on Friday, Jan 12. (Jordan Davidson/NanaimoNewsNOW)

By NanaimoNewsNOW Staff

Significant damage

Fire damages home in Nanaimo’s Hawthorne Park area

Jan 12, 2024 | 2:30 PM

NANAIMO — Nobody was hurt following a significant mid-day house fire in Nanaimo.

Multiple 911 calls were made on Friday, Jan 12 just after 12:30 p.m. in response to fire and smoke erupting from a Sarum Rise Way home off Wakesiah Ave. across from Hawthorne Park.

Nanaimo Fire Rescue (NFR) assistant chief David Dales said while they were able to contain the fire quickly, there was a significant amount of damage.

“We had visible smoke and flame from the rear of the house. Our first-in engine came in they were quickly notified that the house was unoccupied,” Dales said on scene.

One person in the home managed to escape unharmed prior to firefighters’ arrival, he said.

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While it’s believed the fire originated from the back of the home’s exterior, fire did make its way inside wall space and the home’s attic.

“Because it was to the exterior the fire probably lasted a little longer because there is no smoke detectors on the outside,” Dales said.

The cause of the fire was not immediately known and will be investigated by NFR.

Aside from the fire, another challenge presented itself to local crews.

RCMP officers spoke with the driver of a truck and trailer who drove over an active fire hose line during a fire on Sarum Rise Way in Nanaimo Friday afternoon. Luckily the driver was stopped shortly after running over the hose, and no damage occurred. (Jordan Davidson/NanaimoNewsNOW)

A man driving a truck and trailer combo on Sarum Rise Way drove over an active fire hose, despite the road clearly marked with orange cones.

Dales said driving over fire hoses is “extremely dangerous”, saying doing so can ruin the hose and damage a fire truck.

“But more importantly if we had firefighters in that house and we lost that water they would have to evacuate…if you see a fire hose, do not drive over it.”

Numerous Nanaimo Fire Rescue crews battled a significant house fire on Sarum Rise Way near Hawthorne Park. (Jordan Davidson/NanaimoNewsNOW)

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