Mill Bay firefighters were just finishing their weekly practice when they were called out for the real thing Wednesday night.
At about 10:30 p.m., a call came in for a structure fire at the A&W Restaurant on Deloume Road, next to the Shell gas station.
Mill Bay Fire said when the first trucks arrived, heavy smoke was pouring from the building, and flames were visible in the back right corner of the structure.
Firefighters entered the building and managed to douse the flames.
The fire department said damage was contained to the back corner of the restaurant, where the washrooms are located.
The response from Mill Bay involved 20 volunteer firefighters, a ladder truck, two engines and a rescue truck.
The cause of the fire is still under investigation, though the fire department said the blaze wasn’t considered suspicious.
Mill Bay Fire credited A&W employees who attempted to put out the fire with an extinguisher and for the quick call to 911.
“Without your early reporting, the building likely would have been a full loss,” the fire department said.
