Fire lights up Gibsons waterfront

A fire ravaged at least two buildings in the Sunshine Coast community of Gibsons Friday afternoon, and left a large section of the waterfront without power into the evening.

The fire started between 3 and 3:30 p.m. in the 500-block of Marine Drive, according to witness Jill Proby, an employee at Molly’s Reach restaurant.

"For a minute or two there was a little bit of smoke, then huge flames licking up, like, a storey-and-a-half high, with huge, dark clouds," she said, adding that the blaze appeared to have started at the Coles Marine Diesel Repair Ltd. at 524 Marine Dr.

"After half an hour, there was another huge plume of dark smoke."

The wooden building, located a few hundred metres away from Gibsons Landing Waterdome and the town centre, was valued at $573,600 in 2009, according to BC Assessment.

Neighbouring buildings were damaged as well, according to reports, including a bed and breakfast that recently closed.

The fire burned for about 90 minutes, Proby estimated, taking down power lines and leaving a large area of lower Gibsons without electricity.

"We’re one of the few [businesses] that still has power on," Proby said. "We were pretty busy tonight because of it."

Sunshine Coast RCMP were on scene.

Gibsons is located about 30 kilometres northwest of Vancouver.