2560 replies to this topic

[pontcanna]

Overnight fire engulfs Saanich home

Investigators working to determine cause, extent of damage Wednesday morning

Aug. 11, 2021

 

The cause of a fire that engulfed a Saanich home early Wednesday morning is under investigation.

Saanich firefighters responded to the home in the 100-block of Battleford Avenue, parallel to the Trans-Canada Highway, at 1:15 a.m. Aug. 11. Neighbours had noticed the fire and called 911.

 

More: https://www.vicnews....s-saanich-home/

 

[pontcanna]

Safety check led to renovation, saving lives at house fire

• Times Colonist
• 13 Aug 2021  

Two people and a dog who escaped a fire at a Saanich rooming house are alive and well thanks to some preventive renovation work done on the home after a safety inspection this year.

 

Fire investigator Lieut. Randall Parnell said a safety inspection of the home in the 100 block of Battleford Avenue noted a basement bedroom window was too small.

 

“Every bedroom must have two means of egress,” Parnell said, noting the inspection showed that if the door was blocked by fire or debris the occupants might be trapped as the window was too small to use as an exit.

 

“But they did install a larger window and that’s how two people and a dog got out, because they couldn’t get out the doorway. Something we pointed out just saved their lives.”

 

More: https://digitaltimes...281526524121662

 

 

 

[pontcanna]

Saanich rooming house fire no longer considered suspicious, say police

August 14, 2021

A Wednesday morning house fire that displaced multiple residents is no longer being treated as suspicious by police.

“Detectives with our Major Crime Unit have been investigating the fire on Battleford Avenue since August 11 and have concluded that there was no criminality surrounding what caused the fire,” said Cst. Markus Anastasiades, public information and communications officer with Saanich Police. “Furthermore, all persons believed to be residing at the home have been accounted for.”

 

 

Bradley Johnson and roommate who goes by ‘J’ were two of the people living in the house. They have been spending the last three nights in temporary housing at the University of Victoria, set-up by the volunteer-run Saanich Emergency Program.

 

More: https://www.cheknews...-police-866320/

[Victoria Watcher]

The two will spend the next three nights in a hotel thanks to the Canadian Red Cross.

 

After that, however, the future is filled with uncertainty.

 

“You know, it’s a big question mark what’s gonna happen,” said Johnson.

 

‘J’ says he may be able to temporarily stay with a friend until September, but believes he’ll likely end up moving back to Ontario to live with his mother.

 

As for Johnson, with limited finances and a competitive rental market, he believes he’ll likely have to sleep in his car until he finds a permanent home.

 

 

 

 

 

hard to house if you do not have a job.

Edited by Victoria Watcher, 14 August 2021 - 05:55 PM.

[Rob Randall]

hard to house if you do not have a job.

 

Someone should invent a plan where you work and get free accommodation on site.

 

Oh yeah, they did.

[Matt R.]

Too bad there aren’t any jobs out there with subsidized housing attached.

https://saltspringex...ishwasher-prep/

Matt.

[kitty surprise]

 

Bradley Johnson and roommate who goes by ‘J’ were two of the people living in the house. 

 

 

 

Who just goes by 'J'? Oh right, a sketch with a shady criminal past to conceal. 

 

 

 

‘J’ says he may be able to temporarily stay with a friend until September, but believes he’ll likely end up moving back to Ontario to live with his mother.

 

As for Johnson, with limited finances and a competitive rental market, he believes he’ll likely have to sleep in his car until he finds a permanent home.

 

 

 

At least there was one successful outcome from all this.

[Victoria Watcher]

Just after midnight on Aug. 11, firefighters attended a large house fire at the corner of Battleford Avenue and Wascana Street in Saanich. It was treated as suspicious until police determined otherwise. The house was extensively damaged.

https://www.vicnews....ts-account-for/



seems like a big public backtrack. but without telling us the actual cause.

Edited by Victoria Watcher, 16 August 2021 - 04:12 AM.

[pontcanna]

Woman rescued from Pender Island well: 'Everything went awesome'

AUGUST 16, 2021


Pender Island Fire Rescue crews work to rescue a woman who fell about five metres down a well last week. 

A woman survived a five-metre tumble down a Pender Island well into extremely cold, deep water with only minor injuries last week.

“The well had a concrete cover over it and while she was on the perimeter of this field picking blackberries, the cover disintegrated and she fell through the opening,” said Pender Island Fire Lt. Todd Bulled. “It was a fairly small cover. She said she was picking blackberries and a second later, she was at the bottom of this well.”

The woman landed in water over her head. She pressed her legs toward one side of the column to hold herself up, but because the water was so cold she got hypothermia and had trouble maintaining that, Bulled said. She was also treading water as she called for help.

More: https://www.timescol...some-1.24351411

[Mike K.]

Good lord.

[todd]

Was watching “Blocked Korea Drain” all last night oddly satisfying: https://www.youtube....DbH9UjSA/videos

[Barrrister]

todd, try to find something else to do, try computer dating.

[todd]

todd, try to find something else to do, try computer dating.

Why?

[Barrrister]

Todd: Because your drain is blocked.

[todd]

I was thinking of Christian Mingle.

[Mike K.]

Oh oh, things are heating up off-forum, too.

A wildfire spanning nearly 200-acres in size has forced authorities to issue an evacuation alert for properties northwest of Ladysmith, a community south of Nanaimo.

The blaze was first recorded on the 19th and is situated in the Mt. Hayes area. The cause is currently unknown.

An evacuation alert is not an evacuation order.

[On the Level]

Highway cam pointed towards Ladysmith isn't showing much yet....

 

https://images.drive...ml/www/479.html

[laconic]

An incident on Store street. My view is blocked but the dumpster, tree, car and the truck look odd. Fire department and police have been there for quite a while.

 

 

Attached Images

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[Mike K.]

A vehicle has collided with a hydro pole. Wires are on the ground. No injuries.

[laconic]

Was wondering why they were waiting, but it appears the dumpster truck hit the power pole (first picture, upper left). The pole is definitely on a lean when I see it though the binoculars.