Nanaimo Fire Rescue crews responded, but upstairs tenants did the heavy lifting to knock down house fire at a Wakesiah Ave. home Wednesday Aug. 10 at about 11:45 p.m. (Alex Rawnley/NanaimoNewsNOW)

By NanaimoNewsNOW Staff

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Upstairs tenants help limit damage of late night Nanaimo house fire

Aug 14, 2020 | 12:56 PM

NANAIMO — Working smoke alarms and a pair of quick-thinking upstairs tenants helped save a home from being consumed by flames.

Nanaimo Fire Rescue’s Alan Millbank said two people are displaced from their basement suite after an improperly discarded cigarette ignited in the lower floor bathroom late Wednesday night near Bowen Park.

He said interconnected smoke alarms played a key role in preserving the Wakesiah Ave. home near Bowen Rd.

“That notified the upstairs tenants who brought down fire extinguishers and were able to assist in extinguishing the fire,” Millbank told NanaimoNewsNOW.

Millbank said the downstairs portion of the home is unhabitable for now due to smoke damage.

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He said the impacted tenants don’t have insurance to cover their property losses.

Millbank said working smoke alarms are crucial, especially late at night.

“A household can reach 1,200 degrees celsius in about two minutes, that’s why it’s important to have smoke alarms.”

Millbank said improperly discarded cigarettes are one of the top causes of fires they respond to.

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