Alley fire in downtown Vernon, B.C. deemed suspicious – Okanagan | 24CA News
A hearth in an alley in downtown Vernon, B.C., early Wednesday was shortly doused and is now underneath investigation.
The metropolis says the fireplace occurred alongside the 3300 block of Coldstream Avenue, with crews from Vernon Fire Rescue (VFR) being dispatched to the incident round 5:20 a.m.
“Upon arrival, firefighters confirmed a fire had been started in an enclosed area at the rear of a business where pallets and other materials were located, and the fire was extending up the side of the building,” mentioned town.
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Crews from two hearth stations knocked the fireplace down shortly.
“Once the fire was knocked down, crews entered the building and confirmed there was no fire extension inside. However, smoke did enter the business and caused damage, so the building was ventilated,” mentioned deputy hearth chief Alan Hofsink.
The business is situated subsequent to a multi-storey retirement residence.
“Thanks to the quick and precise action of our firefighters, the fire was contained to the single property and there was no extension or damage to the adjacent structures,” mentioned Hofsink.
“This is another example of the excellent service our first responders provide to keep our community safe in dangerous situations.”
No accidents had been reported, and nobody was on scene when emergency crews arrived.
The metropolis says the fireplace has been deemed suspicious, and that the file has been handed over to the Vernon RCMP for investigation.
“Over the last couple years, (VFR) has been dispatched to many fires that have been started in commercial dumpsters or where stockpiles of pallets, debris and other material have been found,” mentioned Hofsink.
“We know this is concerning for our business community, our residents and our first responders. Therefore, we want to take a moment to highlight some simple steps that can be taken to reduce fire risks.”
VFR says property house owners are inspired to take away particles, like pallets and different flamable supplies, from their websites. It additionally mentioned locations that must be locked up, similar to dumpsters, must be checked to see in the event that they’re totally safe.
“We may not be able to completely eliminate fire risks,” mentioned Hofsink, “but by working together, we can reduce them.”
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