The Revelstoke fire chief is advising everyone to check their smoke alarms after the department responded to two fires in the past four days.
“It’s a sound we can all live with,” said chief Rob Girard in a news release.
The first fire was called in on Saturday, Dec. 3, just after 6 a.m. at a home on the 600 block of Second St. West.
Girard said the tenant of the home woke up early to go skiing on opening day and noticed his vehicle was on fire in the car port. Revelstoke Fire Rescue Services was called in and worked quickly to extinguish the fire and preventing it from spreading into the neighbouring home.
“All five occupants of the residence were out of the building when fire crews arrived on scene,” said Girard.
It took 16 firefighters 30 minutes to extinguish the blaze. The cause of the fire is not yet known.
The second fire broke out at a home on the 400 block of Mackenzie Avenue on Tuesday, Dec. 6, at around 11 p.m.
“Upon arrival fire crews rapidly actioned the fire in the second story bedroom,” said Girard. “Early detection by the tenants prevented this from being a fully involved structure fire, but we were within minutes of that transition.”
It took 14 firefighters just under an hour to put out the fire.
All seven residents of the home escaped unharmed and were provided with lodging by Emergency Social Services.
The fire remains under investigation.
In addition to advising residents to check their smoke detectors, Girard is recommending they conduct a complete safety audit by testing or installing carbon monoxide detectors, making sure electric outlets aren’t overloaded and cleaning out wood and pellet stove chimneys regularly.
He also advised to be careful when using space heaters or candles.
“If you do a home safety audit today, it could save your life or the lives of loved ones” he said.
