A 70-year-old man is dead after a fire that ripped through three homes in a residential neighbourhood in Cumberland early Saturday.
Cumberland Fire Chief Mike Williamson confirmed the dead man’s name is Brian Jobling.
The fire chief was called to a small fire in the same house in July 2016 and said that at that time, the owner’s upstairs and main-level fire alarms were working.
On Saturday night, however, it’s anyone guess if the fire alarms went off, as the house was engulfed so quickly, said Williamson.
In fact, the cause of the fire will remain undetermined, because only rubble remains, Williamson said. “It’s so badly damaged, it’s so hard to tell the cause. We can’t even really go on the floor because it’s so insecure.”
A wood stove remains, but the fire chief doesn’t believe it was in use at the time of the blaze.
Comox Valley RCMP said Monday the investigation is now in the hands of the B.C. Coroners Service and Cumberland Fire Service.
Andy Watson, spokesman for the coroners service, said the investigation is in its very early stages.
It’s only the second fire death in about two decades in the area, said Williamson, who started with the fire rescue service at age 16 in 1971.
When firefighters arrived at the heritage house at 2753 Penrith Ave., “it was completely free burning,” he said.
Live downed power lines complicated the situation, causing a car to catch fire, said Williamson, noting the houses were very close together.
No one knew whether the owner of the home was inside, although vehicles in the driveway indicated that he might be.
According to a B.C. Assessment roll report, the home is owned by Brian Douglas Jobling and Andrew Henzel Jobling.
A mother and her son escaped from a twin house just feet away from 2753 Penrith. A third single-storey home on the other side, unoccupied at the time, was also destroyed. The owners of that home live on Hornby Island, a family friend said.
Displaced residents were offered emergency social services. Donations are being collected at the Esso gas station at 2766 Dunsmuir Ave.
Cumberland Mayor Leslie Baird said this kind of tragedy has a big impact on a small town where many people know each other, but a tight-knit community also means lots of support. Cumberland’s population is about 3,700.
“We are a very strong community — as most are — when tragedy strikes,” said Baird. “It’s a sad time.”
Neighbour Bill Walters saw flames engulf the two-storey home at about 3 a.m. Saturday.
“It was incredible,” Walters said Monday. “It was just one big fireball. There was no saving that home.”
Dozens of firefighters from Cumberland Fire Rescue and Courtenay Fire tackled the blaze from the street and from an alley behind the homes.
Walters said he bought two additional smoke detectors for his own home following the blaze. “And I already have quite a few smoke detectors.”
“It could happen to anyone,” added Walters. “These old homes go up in minutes.”
Penrith Avenue is one street away from the town’s main strip on Dunsmuir Avenue.
The volunteer firefighters who were at the scene will undergo a debrief this week to ensure everyone who needs help gets the assistance they need, the fire chief said.
ceharnett@timescolonist.com
