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.

含羞草研究社淭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,含羞草研究社� said BC RCMP Communications Services. 含羞草研究社淗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.含羞草研究社�

RCMP didn含羞草研究社檛 name the officer at the officer含羞草研究社檚 request.

含羞草研究社淭he officer含羞草研究社檚 actions and bravery is commendable, said Sgt. Lita Watson, detachment commander of Lake Cowichan RCMP. 含羞草研究社淗e put his own life in danger, without even a second thought, to help those people who would have been severely injured.

含羞草研究社淚 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,含羞草研究社� 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.

含羞草研究社淚 went to see and swear it looked like half the damn block was lit up,含羞草研究社� he recalled. 含羞草研究社淚t was one of those situations where 含羞草研究社榮ome kind of noise含羞草研究社� we later figured out, was bullets heating up and going off,含羞草研究社� Webber said. 含羞草研究社淎pparently the gunpowder went off literally seconds after that off duty cop got the two fellas out含羞草研究社�. Then含羞草研究社� boom! And that place was just gone.含羞草研究社�

Neighbour Tara Fraser also heard the big boom.

含羞草研究社淚 heard a loud bang over the running air conditioner and left my room around 4:30 a.m. to see what was going on,含羞草研究社� Fraser noted. 含羞草研究社淚 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 Mike含羞草研究社檚 property and the house next to me.含羞草研究社�

Webber said he didn含羞草研究社檛 know at the time that the father and son were able to escape, adding the explosions made him 含羞草研究社渁 tad nervous含羞草研究社� to run up to see if he could help.

含羞草研究社淚 honestly thought as it was only about 4:30 a.m. they would have been sleeping and for sure were in there,含羞草研究社� he admitted. 含羞草研究社淭here含羞草研究社檚 no way anyone could have gone in at all,含羞草研究社� after the explosions, he said. 含羞草研究社淭here was no bloody way anyone lived through that and it was near killing me I couldn含羞草研究社檛 do anything but take a bloody video and hope they made it.含羞草研究社�

He said it was 含羞草研究社渁 long couple of hours含羞草研究社� 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.

含羞草研究社淚含羞草研究社檓 just glad no one got hurt. It could have been a hell of a lot worse,含羞草研究社� Webber said.

Police said the fire is not considered suspicious.

The home含羞草研究社檚 previous occupant, Mike Bell含羞草研究社檚 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:

含羞草研究社淭hey have lost everything as the entire structure was swallowed up in flames,含羞草研究社� Fraser said. 含羞草研究社淎nything will help this family. Thank you for any and all kindness at time when the world can be hard on all of us.含羞草研究社�

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. She含羞草研究社檚 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.