Some Vernon residents will be staying with friends and family over the holidays after a fire damaged their home Dec. 21.
Flames were sparked inside a 1995-built home in the 5000 block of Oriole Drive, which a neighbour noticed as no one was home at the time.
“There was actually flames showing through the windows in the kitchen,” said Lawrie Skolrood, Vernon Fire Rescue Services deputy chief.
Crews were able to extinguish the blaze, “with very little effort,” reports Skolrood, as the fire was contained to the kitchen area.
Both the occupants of the main home, and a suite below, were not home at the time, and they were not be able to return for Christmas.
“The building sustained a great deal of smoke damage,” said Skolrood, noting that a great deal of cleanup will be needed.
While those displaced from the home are believed to be staying with friends or family for Christmas, it is an unfortunate event, said Skolrood.
“It’s still tough. A tough time of year for this to happen.”
The cause of the fire remains under investigation but may possibly be electrical in nature.
“It’s totally accidental,” said Skolrood.
