District of North Vancouver Fire & Rescue Services is crediting quick action by neighbours with saving a Deep Cove home from fire.
Residents in the 4100 block of Dollar Road called 911 around 2:20 p.m. Monday when they spotted the rear corner of a home engulfed in flames.
One of the first people on the scene was an off-duty district firefighter who lives nearby and was able to greet responding crews with a solid assessment of the situation, said Assistant Chief Dwayne Derban.
The fire had spread to both floors of the house and was extending into the attic, requiring crews to open up soffits. It took about 15 minutes to get the blaze under control, Derban said.
Luckily, the home’s owners and renters from the basement suite were all out at the time, and no one was injured.
After speaking with the fire investigator on Tuesday morning, Derban said no definite cause has been determined yet, but he said they are looking into the possibility of discarded ashes from a wood burning stove.
Derban said about 10 per cent of the home’s exterior was burned, but the structure is likely salvageable.
“Far more damaged was the interior with the smoke throughout the house and then water,” he said. “The residents will be out of the house for a while.”
Things could have been much worse had the neighbours not called for help so soon, Derban said.
“It’s amazing how fast it happens,” he said. “Luckily, they heard a couple of pops and saw the flames early. Minutes matter. Seconds matter when it comes to fire extension and spread.”
