Candles in living room blamed for apartment fire

Fire investigators say candles in the living room caused the fire that killed an Esquimalt man on Christmas Eve. Brian Fillman, 66, died of smoke inhalation despite the heroic efforts of three men who tried to put out the fire and drag him out of his fifth-floor suite at 1325 Esquimalt Rd. His 88-year-old father, Vern Fillman, said Fillman was burning candles to mark the night before Christmas and in memory of a friend who recently died.

Esquimalt fire investigator Lt. Troy Saladana said he found remnants of candles and glass candle holders around the origin of the fire, near the couch in the living room. Other ignition sources such as electrical malfunction and cigarettes have been ruled out, Saladana said.

He said the fire triggered the apartment suite's smoke alarm and heat detector, but it's not clear why Fillman couldn't make it out. The B.C. Coroners Service is investigating. Vern Fillman and his wife had coffee with their son just four hours before the fire and they talked about celebrating Christmas Day together.

"He told his sister how happy he was that we would all be together. Unfortunately, he didn't make it."Two weeks before he died, Fillman found out he had beaten prostate cancer. The cancer was found in its early stages about nine months ago, and after radiation he was told by doctors the cancer was gone. "So to lose him this way, it's so tragic," his father said. Fillman, who was single with no children, worked as a truck driver across Canada but had to retire after he injured his back.

He coached minor hockey and was passionate about giving to others, Vern Fillman said, adding he's been flooded with calls from people telling him what a kind and generous man his son was. "Throughout his life, he's always been one to help people."Fillman would often get groceries for elderly people who live in the building, many of whom have limited mobility.

Another of the three rescuers who tried to save Fillman has come forward to tell his story. Jeremy Aitken, who lives in a home behind the building, said he heard the fire alarm and saw flames shooting from the fifth-floor window.

"I know there are a lot of elderly people in there and fires can spread quickly," said Aitken, 40. "It was obvious from my backyard that anyone that was in that suite was in peril."

His wife called 911 as he ran to the building.

Aitken climbed the stairs to the fifth floor, where he saw Attila Szabo, the wheelchair user hailed as a hero after he and another fifth-floor resident broke down the door and used an emergency fire hose to douse the flames.

Because the hall was thick with smoke, Szabo told Aitken to follow the hose until he got to the suite. Aitken found a resident named Dave in the hallway, shooting water at the flames. "He was pretty close to being overcome from the smoke at that time," Aitken said. Aitken took over, dousing himself with water and putting his shirt over his face before crawling into the suite to put out the fire.

"I could feel the flames and the heat lashing back at me when I sprayed the fire, I just kept putting water on it," he said. Once the flames were doused, Aitken and Dave located Fillman, who was unresponsive, and dragged him into the hallway to the stairwell where they were met by firefighters who took over the rescue effort.

Vern Fillman said while the three men could not save his son, they likely saved many others. "They saved what could have been a disaster had that fire crept through the complex. They're heroes, there's no doubt in my mind."The fire left dozens of residents of the 52-unit building homeless over Christmas because of water damage.