A fire in a storage area of this building at 250 Prideaux St. was quickly extinguished on Tuesday, Oct. 29 just before 7 a.m. (Ian Holmes/NanaimoNewsNOW)

By Ian Holmes

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Disaster averted at downtown Nanaimo structure fire

Oct 30, 2024 | 4:15 PM

NANAIMO — A fast response limited the damage from a fire inside a downtown Nanaimo commercial building home to a cafe and antique shop.

It happened on Tuesday, Oct. 29 at 250 Prideaux, between Fitzwilliam and Wentworth streets just before 7 a.m.

Nanaimo Fire Rescue (NFR) deputy chief Stuart Kenning said their crews responded to a small fire inside a vacant warehouse/storage area of the building.

“It looks like two individuals were inside in a makeshift shelter inside the building and their shelter caught on fire,” Kenning said.

No injuries were reported.

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Damage was limited to cardboard boxes and wires in the room filled with supplies connected to Old City Panache, an antique/artists’ market with many flammable goods from dozens of vendors.

The Tuesday morning fire originated in this storage area of Old City Panache at 250 Prideaux. St. (Ian Holmes/NanaimoNewsNOW)

Kenning said prompt 911 calls were paramount in limiting the damage.

Conveniently located a block away, NFR crews were on scene quickly from their downtown fire hall to snuff out the small fire

“That’s exactly what happened with this one, we got early 911 calls, we were on scene fast and the crews actioned the fire’s interior and extinguished it quickly.”

Nanaimo RCMP were also at the site engaging with the people associated with the encampment fire.

NanaimoNewsNOW reached out to Nanaimo RCMP to discern what repercussions, if any, resulted from the incident.

Aftermath of an unrelated recent fire at 250 Prideaux St. (Ian Holmes/NanaimoNewsNOW)

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Ian.holmes@pattisonmedia.com

On Twitter: @reporterholmes