Townhouse fire in Victoria displaces 10 families

Ten families are out of their homes following an early morning fire at a social housing complex in Victoria. There were no injuries, but some say they were lucky to escape as the flames spread to neighbouring units.

Aidan Edwards, 13, heard a bang around 3 a.m. When he looked out the window, he saw flames shooting out of a nearby townhouse.

"At first I though I was dreaming or something. Then I looked again and I actually knew it was real. So I yelled at my dad, and my dad came in," he said.

"As soon as I looked out his window, I could see the flames coming up and stuff so I went 'oh crap'," said, Aidan's father Tony Edwards.

The family grabbed their dog and ran from their house. They are among 35 people displaced by the fire.

"The power is shut off. The gas is shut off. At this point in time it is undetermined when they will be able to return," said, Dave Bicknell, a Victoria Fire battalion chief.

Four of the affected units were severely damaged by the fire, Bicknell said, adding that several other units in the row of townhouses suffered smoke or water damage.

The townhouses are part of B.C. Housing's Evergreen Terrace social housing complex, which was previously called Blanshard Court.

The agency said it has some vacant units in the complex that can house displaced families immediately. It is also looking for vacancy in other complexes and says housing will be found for all families affected.

Community fundraising

The families affected are receiving immediate support from City of Victoria emergency services staff and the Canadian Red Cross.

But a community association for the neighbourhood has started fundraising to help those who have lost everything and may not have insurance. 

"Because it is a concentrated low income housing development, often that is something that people are not able to manage to afford," said Kelly Greenwell, executive director for the Quadra Village Community Centre.

 "People will be essentially be replacing everything."