Historic Cumberland building goes up in flames

Firefighters in Cumberland, British Columbia, responded swiftly Sunday night to a significant fire that engulfed a historic building on Vancouver Island. The structure, a landmark in the community, contained the popular Dodge City Cycles bike shop and the Riding Fool hostel.

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It created a lot of smoke and we evacuated all the people out of there.

Cumberland Fire Chief Mike Williamson reported that the fire likely originated in the bike shop and spread rapidly, generating substantial smoke. Fire crews worked to evacuate everyone from the premises. The building's unique construction, described as several joined structures with a roof covered in tin over duroids, presented challenges in fully extinguishing the blaze and reaching all pockets of heat.

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This building is sort of several buildings joined together, so it’s hard getting at it. It’s got tin over duroids and stuff like that on the roof, so it’s a lot of work getting at the small pockets of heat.

Crews managed to bring the fire under control, with firefighters remaining on scene to address lingering hot spots. The incident prompted a call for mutual aid, bringing in firefighters from the nearby community of Courtenay to assist. The cause of the fire is currently under investigation.

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It’s quite shocking.

During the firefighting efforts, one firefighter sustained an injury after falling on a staircase, believed to be a dislocated shoulder. Residents nearby described the scene as "shocking," with one witness hearing screaming and banging. The building, dating back to 1895, was originally the village hardware store before its conversion.

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I’ve never seen this ever happen in Cumberland before … I’ve been in the hostel and it’s so beautiful in there. Hopefully it’s not damaged.