Victoria Police Department (VicPD) is investigating an arson attack on a Ukrainian pastor’s home which was set alight early Wednesday morning, forcing those trapped inside to escape by the skin of their teeth..Just after 1 a.m. on Wednesday, VicPD officers and Victoria Fire Department firefighters rushed to a family home in the 1100-block of Caledonia Avenue following reports of a structure fire..The more then 100-year-old home is attached to the Ukrainian Catholic Church of St. Nicholas where the church’s pastor, Father Yuriy Vyshnevskyy, lives with his wife, three daughters, and cat..VicPD said the entire front entryway was engulfed in flame when first responders arrived..Despite the increasing size and intensity of fire present in the entryway, Vyshnevskyy was able to make his way outside where his wife then handed their three children out of the window to him. The mother was then safely evacuated from the second floor by firefighters using a ladder..One of the children suffered a bad cut as a result of broken glass. VicPD officers provided first aid and she was then transported to hospital..The family cat was found unconscious and, along with the whole family, is expected to make a full recovery..Detectives with VicPD’s Major Crimes Unit are seeking any and all information, witnesses, and dash-cam or home video footage from the area of Cook Street and Caledonia Avenue between midnight and 1:30 a.m. Wednesday..Vyshnevskyy told CHEK News that his wife heard noise on the front porch around 1 a.m., and when she went to see what it was she then saw gasoline being poured through the mail slot. Within minutes, the fire was lit..Anyone with information is asked to contact VicPD or call Crime Stoppers anonymously at 1-800-222-8477..Reid Small is a BC-based reporter for the Western Standard.,rsmall@westernstandard.news,.Twitter.com/reidsmall
