A lunchtime fire Wednesday saw Sooke Fire Rescue struggle to convince residents at a Lincroft Road condo complex to evacuate the building.
“The fire alarm system worked and most of the people evacuated as they should, but we had a few stubborn people who refused to vacate the building, even though we’d had some open flames and considerable smoke in the building,” said Fire Chief Kenn Mount.
“Some people obviously don’t understand the risks to themselves and the risk that they create for firefighters when they don’t evacuate.”
Mount said firefighters will return to the building at 6591 Lincroft Rd. and work with the strata council in an effort to make improvements in its fire evacuation plans.
“It appears that some of the residents were pretty complacent and some said that they didn’t even know what the alarm meant,” Mount said.
The fire and smoke came as a result of an unattended pot on a stove in one of the units. The residents of that unit had forgotten they had something on the stovetop and had left the premises.
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The fire was quickly contained and it only took the fire service about 90 minutes to clear the smoke from the building through the use oflarge fans and the help of natural ventilation.
“The fire itself wasn’t that serious or uncommon, but the reaction of some residents in the building is a cause for concern,” Mount said.
mailto:tim.collins@sookenewsmirror.com
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