Firefighters and RCMP are investigating an early morning fire that destroyed a car and a garage in White Rock, B.C., on Monday.
Firefighters were able to extinguish the flames before they spread, though a family and their cat have been displaced.
Homeowner Ken Johnston says he woke up around 5 a.m. to hear his car alarm going off.
“Then all of a sudden, within I’d say 30 seconds, I heard this boom. I think it was one of the tires that blew. So then I ran out to the carport … and the whole car was in flames,” he said.
“I was thinking, ‘What the hell?’”
Johnston rushed back inside the home and woke his wife up, and the pair were able to get out of the house safely.
“What we know is when we arrived the car and the carport were fully involved, and the fire was making its way into the structure through the roof area,” White Rock Fire Rescue Deputy Chief Mike Passas said.
Passas said the home suffered smoke and water damage, and there was some damage to a neighbouring property and trailer.
Johnston and his cat Casey, who was found hiding under a bed after the fire was extinguished.
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He said it’s too early to know if the fire was suspicious, but that it is believed to have started in the carport.
Once the flames were out, fire crews were also able to get inside the house and safely rescue Johnston’s orange cat Casey, who was spooked but otherwise unhurt.
“He’s been upset all day, I’ll tell you,” Johnston said.
Johnston and his wife will be staying with family for the time being.