West Kelowna firefighters challenged by debris while extinguishing midnight blaze

West Kelowna firefighters doused an overnight blaze that they say proved challenging because of debris on the property.

Emergency crews were called just after midnight to the incident on Colleen Road, where the first arriving crews from Lakeview Heights found a large outbuilding that was fully involved in flames.

But in battling the blaze, firefighters also had to deal with debris and stored materials, which led to West Kelowna Fire Rescue issuing a reminder to keep properties tidy in case of emergencies like this.

“The fire was quickly knocked down,” fire chief Jason Brolund said in a media statement.

“However crews were challenged with a large amount of debris and stored materials on the property. The fire briefly extended into trees, but firefighters were able to keep it away from nearby buildings.”

Brolund said the building posed a significant danger due to its compromised structure, unstable basement and unknown contents, adding the fire was fought defensively from the outside.

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West Kelowna Fire Rescue says the fire’s cause is under investigation.

Joining the fight were station crews from Westbank, Rose Valley and Glenrosa. Overall, 18 firefighters and four fire engines were on scene.