Quick thinking by some Upper Lonsdale residents saved their home from total destruction in a fire Monday afternoon, District of North Vancouver Fire and Rescues Services members say.
The owners arrived home to the 4000 block of St. Georges Avenue around 2:30 p.m. to find smoke coming from a crawlspace under stairs, said assistant fire chief David Dales.
“They did an amazing thing shutting all their doors as they evacuated, which probably saved the house from being completely burned down,” he said.
Once they were safely outside, they called 911 and crews arrived soon after.
“[We] did a quick hit on it and knocked the fire down pretty quickly. But the house was fully charged with smoke so it's taken a while to search the house and clear the smoke,” Dales said. “There was significant damage to the house, and the house will probably be unlivable for months.”
But, he added, it could have been much worse. Whenever possible, it’s important to close doors during a fire, Dales said.
“For a fire to spread, it needs oxygen and by shutting the doors, it limits its access to oxygen. And that helps a lot – immensely,” he said.
The exact cause is still under investigation, but Dales said they will be looking into a portable heater/dehumidifier in the basement.
