Four West kelowna adults are safe and in the care of emergency services after a kitchen fire in a West Kelowna townhouse on Tuesday evening forced the residents out of their home.
Four fire engines and a total of 33 firefighters responded to a fire call at approximately 6 p.m. Tuesday evening in a townhouse complex located in the 1800 block of Peak Point Drive. The call was quickly upgraded to a kitchen fire while units were responding.
"When the first crew arrived, they found heavy black smoke showing from the rear of a two-story townhouse and heavy flames venting from the front," stated West Kelowna assistant fire chief Darren Lee. "The residents were confirmed to have evacuated the townhouse and crews began stretching attack lines into the interior of the home for fire attack. The main body of fire was located on the second floor of the home and several windows had failed due to high heat. West Kelowna fire crews were able to quickly confine the fire to the unit and area of origin and prevent it from spreading to adjoining townhouses. Once the fire was knocked down firefighters worked to ensure that the fire had not spread into the roof and wall spaces."
Along with the four engines, also responding to the blaze was a water tender, one crew in a wildland engine, three command officers and two safety officers. In total West Kelowna Fire Rescue responded to the scene with a total of 33 firefighters. Additional WKFR units were on standby in Westbank and Glenrosa. West Kelowna RCMP, BC Ambulance, BC Hydro, Fortis Gas and Emergency Support Services also attended the scene.
Residents were home at the time of the fire and were able to safely escape the fire. Four adults and one pet from two separate townhouse units are in the care of Emergency Support Services.
The preliminary fire cause and origin investigation is complete and a fire crews have thoroughly overhauled the fire area and are monitoring for hot spots. The cause of the fire will investigated this morning and details as to the cause will be released as they become available..