Twenty people were forced out of their apartment in Nanaimo after a fire this morning, which officials deem suspicious.

Firefighters were called out the 600-block of Prideaux Street around 7 a.m. Saturday, Sept. 16 for what turned out to be a structure fire, said Nanaimo Fire Rescue Chief Tim Doyle. There was 鈥渆xtensive damage done to the back-side of the building.鈥�

鈥淚t was orginally paged out as a dumpster fire,鈥� Doyle told the News Bulletin. 鈥淲hen crews came on scene, [it] had extended to farther up the building and it involved multiple units above it.鈥�

Doyle said residents were able to get out safely and firefighters were able gain control of the blaze, but the building suffered damage.

鈥淯nfortunately, due to the amount of water damage from the sprinkler system and smoke damage, and having to shut off the electrical and gas, we do have the entire building evacuated until they can restore all the systems, fire alarm systems and make everything safe.鈥�

Emergency support services assisted the residents and arrangements have been made, stated Doyle, who added the fire is suspicious, but there is currently nothing to suggest it is related to other recent fires in Nanaimo鈥檚 south end.

鈥淭he investigation is not done, so it would be remiss for me to start [making assumptions] 鈥� until our investigators have concluded their work, we just don鈥檛 know,鈥� said Doyle.

The building was insured, noted Doyle.

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