An early morning house fire at a Sechelt home on Dec. 28 caused $50,000 worth of damage to the structure, leaving the occupants homeless. The fire broke out on the top floor of the house, located on Swiykals Drive, at approximately 2:15 a.m. Sechelt Fire Chief Bill Higgs said the accidental fire was probably caused by careless cigarette use. "The two occupants got out safely," Higgs said. "The fire was under control pretty quickly. It was out in 15 minutes. The house is pretty much written off."
Milynne Lang, a friend of the fire victims, says Natan August has been in three previous house fires, including one that took her son's life. Natan's son, Kyle, survived the Dec. 28 fire. "Natan and her son Kyle narrowly escaped with their lives," Milynne said in a letter sent to Coast Reporter. "I am writing to you the people of the Sunshine Coast to come forward as a community and help, be it support, financial or prayer. She did not have fire insurance and is left with nothing."
Lang has set up a relief fund for the family. If you are able to help, please call her at 604-886-3295. She has already received donations from Claytons Heritage Market, Sechelt Indian Band, Gibsons Community Fellowship and other community donors.
Besides the house fire, fire crews responded to several other calls between Dec. 25 and Jan. 5.
A transmission in a Jeep Cherokee caught fire in the 6400 block of Hwy. 101 at 10 a.m. on Dec. 25. The occupants of the vehicle got out safely. Higgs said the vehicle was a write-off. A chimney caught fire at a home on Blueberry Place in Davis Bay at 7 p.m. on Dec. 26. Higgs said this kind of fire-fighting operation is quite dangerous, as it requires the crew to work on a slippery roof. He also mentioned that most people don't realize chimney fires are serious because they think the fire is confined to the chimney. "It can escape to the rest of the house," Higgs said. Fire crews responded to the scene of an accident on Redrooffs Road in Halfmoon Bay at 8 p.m. on Dec. 27. A woman had to be extricated from her vehicle after it rolled over into a ditch. Higgs said fire officials helped cut the vehicle's roof open and assisted the paramedics in lifting the woman out of the car and onto a stretcher. The woman was taken by ambulance to St. Mary's Hospital. The cold weather resulted in broken water pipes at Trail Bay Mall and Canadian Tire in Wilson Creek on Jan. 5. Fire crews assisted in shutting off the water and with crowd control.
