A remote-controlled airplane is being blamed for a roof fire in South Surrey Monday night.
Fire crews were dispatched to the 3300-block of 190 Street at 7:45 p.m., after one of the crafts crashed onto the roof of a commercial building and ignited.
Such planes’ batteries are “quite combustible under the right circumstances,” noted Deputy fire Chief Dan Barnscher.
The plane was apparently being flown in a nearby vacant lot just before the crash – an activity Barnscher said is common in that area.
Those who choose to fly planes on private property there are “pretty much doing it at their own risk,” he said, adding he wouldn’t be surprised if the owner of the plane received a bill for the roof repairs.
“He’s probably a little sheepish right now. It’s definitely going to cost a little bit to do the repair to the roof,” Barnscher said.
Nine units were dispatched to the fire scene, including five tanker trucks in case hydrants in the developing area hadn’t yet been activated.
Police also attended.
Barnscher described the damage as “very minimal,” describing the fire as “very small… contained to about a four-by-eight-foot area.”
