‘There was a mini-explosion’: Fire at Kelowna retirement resort displaces seniors

Forty-six seniors are out of their homes after a multi-story fire at a retirement resort in Kelowna.

“I was sitting watching television and looked out my window and noticed the smoke. So I came out on my porch just in time to see the fire come out from that porch,” said Norma Lundgren, a Missionwood Retirement Resort resident.

“Then there was a mini-explosion and then the fire rose all the way to the fourth floor.”

Luckily, no one was seriously injured in the fire at Missionwood Retirement Resort, although one man did sustain minor smoke inhalation when he apparently tried to put out the fire.

“It must have been about ten minutes before it reached the top, it destroyed everything,” said Lundgren.

“The four units on either side have a lot of smoke and water damage. Fortunately, the lady who was in the bottom one, they were able to get her out okay.”

According to the Kelowna Fire Department, the fire mostly stayed on the exterior of the building and they were able to put it out quite quickly.

“Very quickly, access off Gordon Ave. was quite good. We could stretch a hand line to the building to knock the fire down,” said Platoon Captain John Kelly, from the Kelowna Fire Department.

“We had other crews that went in from the front to check the suites from the hallway.”

After an initial investigation, the fire has been deemed not suspicious.

“Last word I got, the cause is still undetermined,” said Kelly.

“However, it is not suspicious and an investigation is still ongoing.”

The 46 displaced seniors are being taken care of by the Missionwood Retirement Resort.

2:27 Off-duty fire captain, Good Samaritan awarded for saving drowning toddler in Okanagan Lake