Firefighters responded to a fire in the empty Pioneer Square building in Mill Bay, along the Trans-Canada Highway.
The Mill Bay Fire Department confirmed around 12:30 a.m. that crews were heading for the flames in Pioneer Square, on the Shonigan Lake-Mill Bay Road.
Witnesses in the area passing by saw heavy smoke coming out of the structure as firefighters arrived. Flames could be seen from the roof of the building.
The video shows flames erupting from the roof of Pioneer Square in Mill Bay. Drive BC says the southern TCH is closed with no forecast of reopening due to fire. pic.twitter.com/uszAyuVCEZ
– CHEK News (@CHEK_News) May 27, 2022
Following the initial closure of the southern lanes of the highway, Emcon Services said at around 2pm that it had closed both the northern and southern lanes, essentially closing the route connecting the south with central Vancouver Island. Drivers should expect long delays.
There was a detour along Cobble Hill Road and from Shawnigan Lake Road to Shawnigan Road, Drive BC reported.
Drivers in the area told CHEK News that traffic was stopped both north and south on the highway.
The Cowichan Valley School District tweeted that some families in the southern end of Mill Bay should expect bus delays due to the fire.
This is the third time the building has caught fire in the last six months. In February, Mill Bay Fire responded to a similar fire in a boarded-up building. Another fire broke out in the building at the end of November 2021.
Structural fire Shawnigan Lake Mill Bay Road and Hwy1. Fire crews on site. #yyjtraffic pic.twitter.com/nLHVif9cCw
– Anika (@avanroy) May 27, 2022
#fire #millbay #malahat pic.twitter.com/5NcHmwcpFN
– MariaBo (@MariaPeronino) May 27, 2022
Photo courtesy of Sean Dor.
This is an evolving story. There is more.
Editorial rules report an error
Add Comment