The historic Belfry Theatre had a near miss Friday when a fire broke out in a workshop area.
The Victoria Fire Department was called at 9:45 p.m. to check out an alarm in the 131-year-old former Baptist church at Fernwood Road and Gladstone Avenue.
Firefighters discovered that a sprinkler was going off in a room that houses electrical and lighting equipment. The sprinkler had extinguished the small fire, but flooded the theatre’s basement in the process.
A fire investigator determined the fire was likely caused by an exposed electrical wire in contact with stage lighting equipment.
“They are fire-resistant,” said battalion chief Gary Birtwistle of the materials. “But I guess they were exposed to the electrical wires a bit too long.”
Firefighters used a pump and vacuums to remove most of the water from the theatre’s basement.
On social media, the theatre said: “There were no injuries but it will take some time to dry everything out.”
Fire and water damage was estimated at about $25,000.
