1 person dead after fire in Esquimalt apartment building

A woman is dead after a fire ripped through the fourth floor of an apartment building on Craigflower Road in Esquimalt, B.C., Sunday afternoon. 

Before fire crews arrived, bystanders tried to rescue the woman from her balcony on the fourth floor. They held out a blanket for her to jump onto, but she didn't choose to jump, said Randy D'Agostino, who lives in the building.

"They had a blanket and they were telling her to jump,"he said. "She was just too afraid to jump."

Esquimalt fire chief Chris Jankowski said crews were at the scene within minutes. They also tried to rescue the woman but they were unsuccessful.

Jankowski said multiple people were trapped in the building and had to be rescued by ladder, but there were only minor injuries as people escaped.

"We did have several successful rescues, but the one unsuccessful rescue hits us harder than the successes," he said.

The B.C. Coroners Service said it is investigating the death of a woman in her 60s. Her identity has not been released.

Cause of fire not known

The fire broke out shortly before 4 p.m, he said. Firefighters and investigators were at the scene Monday working to determine what caused it.

More than 30 firefighters from four fire departments attended the fire in the community just west of Victoria.

Jankowski said there is extensive damage to a few suites on the fourth floor of the building and some water damage to the other floors.

But if air quality tests being conducted on Monday come back clear, most people will be able to return home in the coming days, he said. 

Neighbours gathered at a church down the street from the building on Monday morning to meet with emergency officials.

Church groups and food banks dropped off donations for those who needed help.

"I heard a lot of people say they had no insurance. So there is going to be a lot of replacement of articles," said Barry Goodwin, the pastor at the Esquimalt Nazarene Church.

An online fundraiser for people displaced by the fire is also being arranged, Goodwin said.

Counselling services have also been arranged for people who live in the building and firefighters who were at the scene.