A Central Saanich neighborhood is in mourning after a man lost his life and another was taken to hospital following a devastating house fire over the weekend. The call came in to the Central Saanich Fire Department in the early hours of Sunday morning of a house fire burning on Genoa Place. Twenty firefighters responded from Central Saanich, North Saanich and Sidney’s fire departments. When they arrived, the house was fully involved. Three people were home at the time. One man in his 30s managed to escape the house on his own, another man of similar age was rescued from the home and taken to hospital, where he remains, for smoke inhalation. Another man in his 60s was not able to get out of the home and died at the scene. Stacey Lee, chief of the Central Saanich Fire Department, says the fire was a tough one to fight and was already well established before crews arrived. “This one had gotten well into the floor, it had gotten into the walls, it was well into the structure and was a significant fire,” said Lee. “Central Saanich is a small community where people know each other and I have no doubt that this will be felt within the community and my condolences go out to deceased family and friends.” The house is said to be a total loss and the cause of the fire is still under investigation.
