The investigation into the cause of a Sunday fire that damaged a Sidney house is officially underway.
“There is a high index of suspicion that likely something started on the deck, on the exterior,” said Sidney Volunteer Fire Department Chief Brett Mikkelsen. “That is not confirmed … Other than that, we don’t know. Everything else would be speculation.”
Officials are currently treating the fire as accidental.
The fire killed a cat and caused extensive damage – with the full extent still unknown.
“Our report will provide that information,” Mikkelsen added.
He said Sunday afternoon that the permanent presence of crews at the Community Safety Building prevented worse damage to the house in the 10000-block of Siddall Road near the corner with Mills Road.
This video courtesy of Clayton Frith shows the response to a fire in Sunday afternoon near Mills Road in Sidney as crews from @sidneyvf @CSaanichFire and @dns_fire extinguished a blaze that caused extensive damage and killed a cat but could have been worse. pic.twitter.com/u6u8eJ8t5K
— Peninsula News (@PeninsulaNews) March 1, 2021
“As a result of COVID-19, we have an in-station crew, so they responded directly from the fire hall,” he said. “Actually, that was the primary difference,” he added later.
Crews received the call at around 3 p.m. The house was unoccupied when crews arrived to fight the fire which spread from the deck to the soffits and roof.
A cat was found dead at the home.
RELATED: UPDATED: One cat killed, another resuscitated following blaze in Saanich townhouse
Mikkelsen said smoke from the fire could be seen from five kilometres away. “It’s probably very safe to assume that there is extensive smoke and fire damage, at least in the kitchen area, upstairs on the second floor,” he said. “And there is going to be some related water damage as well.”
Crews from North Saanich and Central Saanich fire departments helped put out the fire while also providing coverage to Sidney.
Crews kept watch on the site overnight before turning it over to investigators.
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