Tenants return to the burned house to collect their belongings

The displaced tenants of a James Bay home that went up in flames after a barbecue grill caught fire last weekend were finally allowed back into their suites on Friday to retrieve their belongings. While some fared better than others, they all lost items to smoke and water damage. However, the cause of the fire remains undetermined, as investigators have been unable to determine whether it was caused by a mechanical or technical defect in the device or by other factors such as poor maintenance or lack of cleaning. Despite the uncertainty surrounding the cause of the fire, Victoria Fire Chief Dan Atkinson stressed the importance of regular maintenance and cleaning of barbecues to minimize the risk of failure. Witnesses reported seeing firefighters enter the smoke-filled home to look for pets, highlighting the department’s commitment to saving lives, whether human or animal. Owner Brian Rados expressed his gratitude that no lives were lost and said he viewed the loss of his home as more of an inconvenience from that perspective.The displaced tenants of a James Bay home that went up in flames after a barbecue grill caught fire last weekend were finally allowed back into their suites on Friday to retrieve their belongings. While some fared better than others, they all lost items to smoke and water damage. However, the cause of the fire remains undetermined, as investigators have been unable to determine whether it was caused by a mechanical or technical defect in the device or by other factors such as poor maintenance or lack of cleaning. Despite the uncertainty surrounding the cause of the fire, Victoria Fire Chief Dan Atkinson stressed the importance of regular maintenance and cleaning of barbecues to minimize the risk of failure. Witnesses reported seeing firefighters enter the smoke-filled home to look for pets, highlighting the department’s commitment to saving lives, whether human or animal. Owner Brian Rados expressed his gratitude that no lives were lost and said he viewed the loss of his home as more of an inconvenience from that perspective.

The fire started in a barbecue grill, but investigators have not determined the exact cause

Displaced tenants of a James Bay home that went up in flames after a barbecue grill caught fire last weekend were allowed back into their suites on Friday to retrieve their belongings.

Mari Jagt and roommates fared better than others in the house because of their distance from the origin of the fire and because they closed the door behind them before leaving the suite. The roommates did not have renters insurance.

“Now it’s about life and safety and keeping our cat safe and starting to rebuild,” they said.

In addition to the emergency services’ three-day hotel stay, the housemates received three additional days in a hotel and basic necessities, funded by the Red Cross. “They were phenomenal,” Jagt said.

A friend also made a “very generous offer” to pay for the roommates’ hotel stay until July 1, when they will move into a new rental.

Music teacher Jaime Kozak’s belongings in an attic suffered the worst smoke and water damage and she will not be allowed to reenter her suite until the house’s internal stairs are rebuilt or strengthened. Kozak lost one of two cats and five rats in the fire, as well as musical instruments.

She is looking for a new home with her mother, who came over from Vancouver.

A family of three – real estate agent Philippe Jolicoeur, Francini Vargas and her 18-year-old daughter Kayra – lived in the suite above the barbecue where the fire started. Jolicoeur was cooking steaks when the barbecue went up in flames.

The family’s suite and car were severely damaged. All of the family’s pets, two dogs and a cat, were rescued.

Victoria Fire Chief Dan Atkinson said the origin of the fire was the barbecue – there were several explosions followed by flames that quickly licked the wooden house – but fire inspectors were unable to discover the specific cause.

“What we cannot determine is whether that was due to a mechanical defect or a technical defect due to the device, or whether it was due to other factors such as poor maintenance, lack of cleaning supplies or things not being clean . that nature,” Atkinson said. In that case, the cause is considered undetermined.

The fire chief said barbecues are extremely safe and the risk of failure is “very low”, but they do require regular maintenance and cleaning.

Jagt and Kozak said the placement of the barbecue, tucked against the wooden house and under a second-floor overhang, was problematic and that the fire was “preventable.”

Atkinson said the home has been returned to its owner and is in the hands of insurance adjusters.

Although some pets were lost, several were also rescued. Witnesses reported seeing firefighters enter the smoke-filled home to look for pets.

“It was a stubborn fire and we worked very, very hard,” Atkinson said

“Recognizing that there is a life to be saved, whether it be a pet or an individual, and certainly an opportunity to provide some additional comfort to those affected by these terrible events, we rise to the occasion and we take advantage of those opportunities,” Atkinson said.

Owner Brian Rados said he is still working with the insurance adjuster and that a structural engineer will be brought in to assess whether the home can be salvaged. “We are still a little ways away from making serious decisions,” Rados said. He said all tenants have been seriously affected by the fire and his thoughts are with them.

Rados, who lost his wife to cancer a few years ago, said he is grateful no lives were lost, and from that perspective he views the loss of his home as more of an inconvenience.

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