Ucluelet local Barry Edge was at home watching Sunday night’s hockey game between the Washington Capitals and Toronto Maple Leafs when a chimney fire forced both him and his cat Sylvester ‘Fuzzcat’ to evacuate as the game went into overtime around 7 p.m.
“It wasn’t a blazing fire, but you could see it coming up the chimney and you could hear it crackling,” Edge told the Westerly. “I’m very happy that everybody is safe and sound, including my cat.”
He said he and his cat escaped unharmed while neighbour Courtney Johnson notified the Ucluelet Volunteer Fire Brigade.
“The fire department did an amazing job,” Edge said. “Their response time was incredibly fast.”
The fire took roughly two hours to be extinguished and Edge was impressed by the volunteer crew’s efforts.
“They persevered through and were very professional,” he said adding the quick work led to little structural damage being done to his home, which he has lived in for roughly 20 years.
He said the house was built in the 1940’s and served as a military building on Ucluelet’s Seaplane base property before being moved to its current spot behind Edge’s Image West art gallery and giftshop on Peninsula Road.
Ucluelet’s Fire Chief Ted Eeftink said his brigade’s quick response was thanks to its commitment to a duty crew that ensures at least five members are available to attend any weekend incidents.
“We always have a duty crew on each weekend, which we’re very fortunate to have. A lot of departments won’t do that,” he said. “I’ve got to tip my hat to these guys that are on the duty crew. They give up their entire weekend to be on it.”
He said the crew’s first move was to attack the flames from the roof.
“We squirted water and foam down the chimney until we felt it was safe to start dismantling the fireplace to get in through there,” he said.
He added the fire was caused by creosote congestion within the chimney and he hopes the event reminds locals to clean their chimneys regularly and to only burn dry wood.