Canada’s attorney general is suing the District of Ucluelet, its harbour authority and two boat owners in the wake of a January 2023 fire that partially destroyed the dock and leaked fuel into the waters.
In a Jan. 3 B.C. Supreme Court notice of civil claim, the federal government said a 42-foot boat, the Veranda, owned by Brock Johansen and Erin Irwin Johansen caught fire while docked in the harbour and sank.
“Fire and smoke poured from the vessel onto the dock infrastructure,” the claim said. “Leaked fuel from the vessel also caught fire, which spread along the top of the water. The Ucluelet Volunteer Fire Brigade spent hours fighting the blaze.”
The claim names the Johansens, the District of Ucluelet and the Ucluelet Harbour Authority as defendants in the case.
It alleges the Johansens were negligent for failing to manage fire safety and risks on the boat and also for failing to warn of the allegedly dangerous condition of the vessel.
The government claimed the fire caused significant dock damage.
“The extent and result of the damaged infrastructure has impacted the capacity of the Small Crafts Harbour, as portions or all of the damaged infrastructure cannot be used until replaced,” the claim said. “This in turn limits the ability of the public to access the harbour.”
The government is seeking general damages, special damages and costs in the case.
None of the allegations have been proven in court.
