A man was airlifted to hospital in critical condition following an RV fire in Nanaimo on Friday morning, but witnesses say the chaotic and fiery scene could have been much worse if not for the heroics of several people.
Just after 8 a.m., an RV burst into flames along Pine Street near Victoria Road.
The fire spread to a nearby BC Hydro pole, causing a power box to explode, while flames leapt towards a neighbouring home.
Capt. Jody Lucas with Nanaimo Fire Rescue says firefighters could see smoke from the fire department before they even received a 911 call.
When firefighters arrived, they found a “fully involved Class A motorhome, and a hydro pole right beside it was fully involved as well, with lines sparking and coming down,” said Lucas.
One person was inside the RV at the time of the fire, and they were pulled out of the vehicle by a bystander, according to witnesses.
Daren Baldock, who works nearby, says he arrived at work just before 8 a.m. It was a quiet, typical morning with nothing amiss.
“There was no smoke or anything to talk about, and then I opened up the side door over here and I was just getting ready to start work and going inside – then all of a sudden I could hear somebody yelling ‘fire!’” he said.
“I looked outside and I saw smoke and I saw a woman pulling someone out of the vehicle.”
Watch the full story below:
Baldock says he sprung into action, hooking up a hose to the site of his workplace building and spraying down the RV as best he could to try to stop the flames from spreading to a nearby house.
“Then the power box on the pole just exploded,” he said. “It just turned to dust in an instant. It just went bang and there was nothing left there.”
“I said no I’m not leaving I’m going to make sure this house doesn’t catch fire and I just stood there and kept hosing.”
Baldock says the homeowner also came out and tackled the blaze with a garden hose until firefighters arrived.
They continued to spray the fire with their hoses until firefighters asked them to help the injured man who was pulled from the RV.
“They said, ‘Hey we need you over here to hose the guy down,’ because he was in pain,” said Baldock.
“It was a very sad thing to see. He was burnt on his face, burnt, all the skin on his right arm was just falling off,” he said.
Man airlifted to hospital
BC Emergency Health Services (BCEHS) says two ground ambulances and one air ambulance were called to the scene.
“Paramedics provided emergency medical treatment to one patient who was transported by ground and air ambulance to hospital in critical condition,” said BCEHS.
Firefighters say the woman who pulled the man from the burning RV saved the man’s life.
“If he didn’t get pulled out of there it would be a different story for sure,” said Lucas.
Sophia Potter, who lives nearby, says she was awoken by the sounds of the explosions.
She said the man who lived in the RV was in his 70s and had been staying there for at least the past six months.
She said he always seemed like “a very nice fellow.”
“He was quite a comedian, he was really nice with the neighbourhood,” she said.
Firefighters say he was flown to Victoria General Hospital. The extent of his injuries are unknown.
With files from CHEK’s Dean Stoltz
Adam Chan
