Multiple engines from Nanaimo Fire Rescue were on scene of a fire at an apartment building on Millstone Ave. Saturday morning. (Kyle Ireland/NanaimoNewsNOW)

By NanaimoNewsNOW Staff

smoke and flames

Apartment fire destroys multiple units near downtown Nanaimo

Nov 19, 2022 | 10:52 AM

NANAIMO — Fire has destroyed multiple suites in an apartment building near downtown.

Nanaimo Fire Rescue crews were paged out to the building at 335 Millstone Ave. just after 9 a.m. on Saturday, Nov. 19 following reports of smoke and flames coming from multiple apartments inside.

Capt. Chad Porter said on scene crews discovered a very active fire upon arrival.

“We showed up..with heavy flame and fire, smoke showing from the first floor on the road side. The back of the building was all three floors with fire activity with occupants self-evacuating.”

One person required help from a bystander to escape their ground floor unit while another needed treatment on scene for smoke inhalation but was released without having to go to hospital.

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Approximately seven people are displaced as a result of the fire, which caused substantial damage to four units and immediately impacted the habitability of three more.

“Significant fire damage on the first and second floor suites,” Porter added. “It was a challenging fire based on the parking lot is below grade so elevation was an issue for us, but crews worked quickly and we were able to get the fire under control within a few minutes.”

Porter also said the building was of older construction and didn’t have sprinklers inside, which allowed flames to spread more easily.

Fire investigators will determine the cause of the fire over the coming days.

Fire destroyed a ground floor unit in an apartment building near downtown Nanaimo on Saturday, Nov. 19. (Kyle Ireland/NanaimoNewsNOW)

The apartment block sits just north of, and overlooks the Millstone River area and Bowen Park.

Multiple Fire Rescue engines were on scene along with paramedics from BC Emergency Heath Services. Nanaimo RCMP officers and BC Hydro personnel also attended.

‘Initially power to this whole block was disconnected, however BC Hydro is working inside the building right now to try and isolate the seven units that were impacted the most and see if we can reenergize 50 per cent of the building to allow occupants to reinhabit,” Porter added.

The insurance status of the victims is not known, with Emergency Support Service program workers ensuring those displaced are safe and temporarily housed.

A man, who identified himself as Dwayne, lives in the building and told NanaimoNewsNOW his morning coffee was interrupted by sounds of the fire alarm.

“We were having coffee, everybody’s in the neighbourhood having hot chocolate, we’re pretty neighbourly. I heard the fire alarm, I don’t take chances so the first thing you do is get out of the building, I don’t care what your possessions are.”

He added it was a very scary incident and not something he’d wish on anybody.

Smoke poured from the ground floor unit as crews looked to extinguish the fire. (Kyle Ireland/NanaimoNewsNOW)

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