Three families still homeless after Johnson fire

Two displaced families have moved back into their homes, days after flames ripped through a unit of the Briarwood, a low-income housing complex on Johnson Street.

Three other families will be displaced for at least eight weeks by Saturday’s fire, said Dean Fortin, executive director of Pacifica Housing, which manages the complex.

Emergency Social Services arranged for the families from 1253 Johnson St. to stay in hotels and provided vouchers for food and clothing.

Pacifica staff is working to find vacant units to house the three families, either in properties run by Pacifica or other housing partners.

Victoria firefighters responded to a fire at the 22-unit complex just after 4 p.m. on Saturday. The response was fast, since the housing complex is across the street from the Victoria Fire Department’s Yates Street fire hall.

“We’re happy that no one was injured, that it was contained to the one unit,” Fortin said. “We had a great response from the fire department, given that it was in their backyard.”

Although the fire was contained to one unit, the neighbouring two units suffered smoke and water damage. Fire inspectors gathered evidence at the scene over the weekend, but the cause of the fire has not been determined, said Victoria Fire’s Lt.Insp. Brad Sifert. The fire appears to have started on the second floor while no one was home.

Sifert said a tenant has been interviewed. The fire caused about $300,000 worth of damage.

Anyone who wants to provide donations such as clothes or furniture can contact Pacifica Housing at 250-385-2131.