Numerous fire trucks, police cruisers, and ambulances were seen along the 800 block of Hockley Avenue in Langford Saturday night (Oct. 26).
Fire Chief Chris Aubrey said Langford Fire Rescue was dispatched to 830 Hockely Ave. following an alarm activation shortly after 8:30 p.m. When crews arrived, people were reporting smoke on the fifth floor of a multi-storey residential complex. Rumours of a potential explosion were also circulating.
Preparing for the worst, the Langford Fire Department requested reinforcements from Esquimalt, View Royal, and Colwood. However, after the first firefighters arrived at the scene and assessed the situation, it turned out to be tamer than anticipated, according to Aubrey.
“The crews got to the fifth floor and found a room that had a small fire that had been controlled by the sprinkler system,” said Aubrey.
At this point, the fire rescue team shifted their operations from extinguishing flames to damage control.
“Once the fire was confirmed out, we got the sprinkler shut off to protect as much stuff from the water damage as possible,” said Aubrey. “[We started] sucking up water with vacuums and working with the property management group to get a restoration company in as soon as possible.”
The Langford crew was on the scene for a total of two hours, after which all residents, except for the tenant where the fire originated, returned to their units.
At this time, Aubrey couldn’t confirm the cause of the fire.
Describing the incident as potentially “life-threatening,” the fire chief emphasized the critical role of the sprinkler system in fire prevention.
“This is a great example of the effectiveness of sprinklers,” said Aubrey. “If you look at the high-rise building fire in Vancouver last week, that was a non-sprinkler building and three floors were severely fire damaged.
“This is a classic example of the effectiveness of sprinklers in keeping fires small and protecting lives.”
The building, also called Hockley House, is a low-income housing complex with 120 units that opened in April 2021, according to BC Housing. Funded by the Regional Housing First Program, the property offers a mix of rental options, including units for people experiencing homelessness who can live independently with support.
Hockley House includes 12 accessible units and 24 units that rent at the current provincial income assistance rate of $375 a month.
The Capital Region Housing Corporation (CRHC) manages the property.
