UPDATED: The smoke could be seen from across Sooke, but no one was hurt during a commercial fire Sunday night.
Emergency crews were called to a fully-involved fire near Edward Milne Community School at approximately 5:30 p.m. and arrived to find South Island Concrete fully engulfed in flames.
Sooke Fire Department responded and called in Metchosin, East Sooke and Otter Point fire crews for mutual aid. Sooke RCMP blocked off traffic to Edward Milne Road.
The South Island Concrete building and equipment like forklifts and bobcats was completely destroyed but no other buildings were damaged, thanks to a defensive line set up to protect the trees and the nearby school.
Sooke fire chief Kenn Mount said there are specific challenges to an industrial fire.
“There are unknown chemicals, hydraulic oil and acids and dyes for concrete forming,” he explained, adding that the extent of the fire and a number of small explosions made the operation a defensive one for fire crews.
The exact cause of the blaze is still under investigation.
BREAKING: Sooke fire crews are responding to the 6200-block of Sooke Road for an active fire. #yyj #sooke pic.twitter.com/LnWO86wvDI
— SookeTown (@SookeTown) February 18, 2019
nina.grossman@blackpress.ca
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