Two men and a woman have lost everything after an explosive fire burned down their home early Sunday morning, July 9, in Lake Cowichan, but it could have been much worse if not for an off duty Mountie who risked his own life to save them.

Mike Bell and his son Travis, and an unnamed woman were sleeping when they were woken abruptly by a member of the Lake Cowichan RCMP detachment, telling them their home was on fire and to get out immediately.

It was 4:30 a.m. and the roof of their house on Cowichan Avenue was already ablaze.

91裸聊视频淭he police officer happened to be driving by at about the same time, on his way to work, and was able to gain access to the home,91裸聊视频� said BC RCMP Communications Services. 91裸聊视频淗e located two men inside, woke them up and assisted them outside. One of the men advised there was a third occupant, a woman, who was still inside the home and so the officer returned inside for her. Fortunately, the officer was able to get everyone out to safety, as the home became fully engulfed in flames shortly after the third occupant was removed.91裸聊视频�

RCMP didn91裸聊视频檛 name the officer at the officer91裸聊视频檚 request.

91裸聊视频淭he officer91裸聊视频檚 actions and bravery is commendable, said Sgt. Lita Watson, detachment commander of Lake Cowichan RCMP. 91裸聊视频淗e put his own life in danger, without even a second thought, to help those people who would have been severely injured.

91裸聊视频淚 want to also recognize and acknowledge the efforts made by the neighbour who tried their best to rouse the occupants of that home and called for emergency assistance. These neighbourly acts really speak to the close-knit and supportive community we live in here in Lake Cowichan,91裸聊视频� Watson added.

Neighbour Rob Webber said he and his wife heard a large bang so loud it nearly knocked them out of bed. He had his wife call 911 while he went out on his porch to have a look, only to find the home down the road was blowing up.

91裸聊视频淚 went to see and swear it looked like half the damn block was lit up,91裸聊视频� he recalled. 91裸聊视频淚t was one of those situations where 91裸聊视频榮ome kind of noise91裸聊视频� we later figured out, was bullets heating up and going off,91裸聊视频� Webber said. 91裸聊视频淎pparently the gunpowder went off literally seconds after that off duty cop got the two fellas out91裸聊视频�. Then91裸聊视频� boom! And that place was just gone.91裸聊视频�

Neighbour Tara Fraser also heard the big boom.

91裸聊视频淚 heard a loud bang over the running air conditioner and left my room around 4:30 a.m. to see what was going on,91裸聊视频� Fraser noted. 91裸聊视频淚 was met with a curious orange glow from my upstairs bathroom window. I walked towards it almost daydream-like and pulled the curtains to see huge flames shooting up above the tree line between Mike91裸聊视频檚 property and the house next to me.91裸聊视频�

Webber said he didn91裸聊视频檛 know at the time that the father and son were able to escape, adding the explosions made him 91裸聊视频渁 tad nervous91裸聊视频� to run up to see if he could help.

91裸聊视频淚 honestly thought as it was only about 4:30 a.m. they would have been sleeping and for sure were in there,91裸聊视频� he admitted. 91裸聊视频淭here91裸聊视频檚 no way anyone could have gone in at all,91裸聊视频� after the explosions, he said. 91裸聊视频淭here was no bloody way anyone lived through that and it was near killing me I couldn91裸聊视频檛 do anything but take a bloody video and hope they made it.91裸聊视频�

He said it was 91裸聊视频渁 long couple of hours91裸聊视频� before he learned the men were safe.

RCMP confirmed all three adults who had been inside the burning home were checked over by paramedics, and no serious injuries were sustained.

91裸聊视频淚91裸聊视频檓 just glad no one got hurt. It could have been a hell of a lot worse,91裸聊视频� Webber said.

Police said the fire is not considered suspicious.

The home91裸聊视频檚 previous occupant, Mike Bell91裸聊视频檚 late father, had stored gunpowder in the basement and Bell had yet to clean it all out.

Webber is considering a comedy show fundraiser to help out his neighbours, who had no insurance.

Another neighbour, Jenny Bradford has been instrumental in the relief effort and has been busy collecting clothing for the men.

Meanwhile, Fraser has set up a fundraiser and donations can be made at:

91裸聊视频淭hey have lost everything as the entire structure was swallowed up in flames,91裸聊视频� Fraser said. 91裸聊视频淎nything will help this family. Thank you for any and all kindness at time when the world can be hard on all of us.91裸聊视频�

She said a fund for cash donations and a donation bin for non perishable goods have also been set up at Country Grocer, as has an account at the local credit union. She91裸聊视频檚 also asking Lakers to drop their empties off at 28 Lake Cowichan Ave. E for a bottle drive between now and when she drops them off on July 18.

Local pizza delivery driver Constance Gagnon also collected tips and donations for the family during a recent shift.