Vernon brush fire singes apartment building; cause under investigation

Two weekend brush fires in the same area of Vernon are being investigated after causing damage to area buildings.

The first, which happened just after midnight on Saturday, saw Vernon Fire Rescue Services members dispatched to douse trees and a dumpster on fire in the 3500 block of 27th Avenue.

“Upon arrival, firefighters found a cedar pillar tree hedge and a garbage dumpster on fire, between two buildings,” fire officials said in a press release.

Crews knocked the fire down quickly and no structures were damaged at that time.

Just hours later, at 4:30 a.m., there was a brush fire reported in the 3500 block of 27th Avenue. Firefighters found a storage shed engulfed in flames and the fire was extending onto the siding of a nearby apartment building.

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In the end, firefighters managed to keep the fire from spreading further into the apartment building.

“Although there was a significant amount of damage done by these two fires to the exterior of the building, the shed, and the surrounding brush, it was the quick and precise action of our crews that prevented even more loss at the apartment building,” said Deputy Fire Chief Russ Friesen in a press release.

“We’re grateful that no injuries were reported and that the fire was kept from extending into the apartment building. These fires raise important reminders, such as the need to have working smoke alarms on every floor of a building, and also to limit the accumulation of combustible material near buildings.”

Vernon North Okanagan RCMP, BC Ambulance Service, and BC Hydro also attended the scene during the second call. In both incidents, the cause of the fire is under investigation.

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