Historic Cumberland building goes up in flames
Chief Michael Williamson said they were alerted to the fire when people heard the alarms ringing and called in Courtenay firefighters to help.
On Sunday night, a historic building in Cumberland caught fire, prompting a rapid response from local firefighters. The structure, situated at Dunsmuir Avenue and Second Street, houses the Dodge City Cycles bike shop and the Riding Fool hostel. Chief Mike Williamson of the Cumberland Fire Department stated that the blaze likely originated in the bike shop and rapidly escalated, producing significant smoke that prompted the evacuation of all occupants.
The building, a blend of several structures joined together, poses challenges for firefighting due to its composition of tin over duroids on the roof, making it difficult to access individual pockets of heat. Upon hearing the alarms, authorities were alerted and promptly dispatched additional resources from Courtenay to aid in suppression efforts.
The fire was brought under control, with crews continuing to attend to hot spots. One firefighter sustained an injury when they fell down a staircase, potentially dislocating their shoulder. The cause of the fire is currently under investigation. Shasta Spalding, a resident of the adjacent building, witnessed the chaotic scene, describing it as "shocking" and noting that such an event had never before occurred in Cumberland.
The historic building, established in 1895, originally served as a village hardware store before undergoing a conversion. TripAdvisor records indicate that the property holds historical significance, having transitioned from its original purpose.
Written by urgent.news from Global News's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
