School/house fires keep Castlegar crews hopping
By Kyra Hoggan
Castlegar fire crews got an intense workout Thursday with two structure fires: one in a school and another in a single-family house.
Fire Chief Sam Lattanzio said the call came in at 3:07 p.m. reporting a structure fire at 720 7 Ave., better known as Stanley Humphries Secondary School.
Engine 1, Ladder 1, Rescue 1, two command vehicles and 14 fire department members attended, the first arriving at 3:15 p.m.
“The fire was contained to the gymnasium, and the object and area of origin (which was) a light fixture,” Lattanzio said. “No one was injured, and the fire was extinguished by 15:35 (3:35 p.m.), at which point we began ventilation operations.”
Later that day, at 10:24 p.m., crews responded to a second structure fire, this time a family residence, in the 2200 block of Columbia Avenue across from Canadian Tire.
“The fire was in what looked to be the exterior southern side of the house, in a carport,” Lattanzio said.
The occupants – one human and three dogs – escaped the blaze without injury, and Engine 1, Ladder 1, Rescue 1, two command vehicles and 19 fire department members responded.
“There was significant damage to the house, it’s potentially a complete loss. The occupant is being assisted by Emergency Support Services – along with the three dogs, of course.”
The causes of both fires are still under investigation, but neither is considered suspicious.
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