Several homes were evacuated Tuesday night after a large fire destroyed four residential buildings that were still under construction in Sooke.
"Public safety and minimizing damage to the nearby occupied residents was our priority," Chief Ted Ruiter of Sooke Fire Rescue said in a statement.
Videos shared with CTV News show a large blaze spewing thick smoke into the sky in a newly constructed residential area.Approximately 30 firefighters and 10 vehicles were able to get the blaze under control by 9:50 p.m.The rubble continued to smoke Wednesday morning as firefighters doused the debris with water.
Residents in the area say construction workers routinely work into the night on the residential project.The cause of the fire is still under investigation. "My heartfelt gratitude goes out to our first responders, including Sooke Fire and our mutual aid partners, Sooke RCMP and B.C. Ambulance and your families," Sooke Mayor Maja Tait said.
"The quick action of our emergency response teams prevented something that could have been a truly catastrophic event."
Canada Latest News, Canada Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Sooke School District superintendent announces retirementScott Stinson, the superintendent of the Sooke School District (SD 62) has announced he will retire at the end of this calendar year.
Read more »
Sooke School District superintendent set to retireScott Stinson, 59, succeeded Jim Cambridge as superintendent in 2018 and guided the district through the pandemic and a period of rapid growth
Read more »
Large fire breaks out in Sooke off Church Hill DriveThe District of Sooke says a large fire that broke out Tuesday night is under control, but firefighters will be working through the night to put out hot spots.
Read more »
VIDEO: Massive fire in Sooke destroys new home build still under construction - Terrace StandardVIDEO: Massive fire in Sooke destroys new home build still under construction
Read more »
Firefighters battle residential blaze in SookeThe District of Sooke says firefighters battling a large fire in a residential area Tuesday night were able to get the blaze under control by 10 p.m., though crews were expected to remain on scene through the night.
Read more »
GM cuts several hundred full-time contract workersThe contractors losing their jobs were within global product development at locations such as GM’s Warren Tech Center
Read more »