Although two Rutland porch fires in three days seemed to be very similar, fire officials are saying the blazes are “definitely not related.”
Kelowna Fire Department crews responded to a report of a front porch on fire at 145 Briarwood Rd. Friday afternoon.
Three engines and a total of 16 personnel were able to contain the fast-moving fire to the front porch area, saving the multifamily home.
A second porch fire occurred two days later at 456 Hein Rd., less than a kilometre west of the Briarwood Road blaze.
In both cases occupants were home at the time of the fire.
Six residents and three cats escaped unharmed in the Briarwood Road fire; five residents, a cat and a dog avoided injury in the Hein Road blaze.
Platoon Captain Henry Roelofs said an investigation was done on both fires. No cause has been determined; however, arson is not being suspected at this point.
“They were both pretty routine,” said Roelofs.
“We typically investigate just about every fire now, if nothing else, just to see if we can determine a cause for it.”
Emergency Support Services is looking after both families for 72 hours following the fires.
“Typically what that involves is giving them a motel (room) and that kind of stuff. It gives them an opportunity to find different accommodation and contact their insurance provider.”
Damage estimates have yet to be determined for both porch fires.
wpaterson@kelownacapnews.com
