Five storeys of metal steps and remnants of wood planks lay dormant in the parking lot adjacent to the scout hall in Oak Bay.
Taped off to protect residents from the dangers of entering, the fire training tower dated back to the 1960s and has even been moved once, says Fire Chief Darren Hughes. It was condemned during a routine engineering inspection, no longer meeting modern liabilities or firefighter training standards.
|
|
| The fire training tower in Oak Bay in 2016. (Black Press Media file photo) |
The tower came down May 10, but hadn’t been in use anyway. These days, the Oak Bay Fire Department uses its Monterey Avenue fire station, buildings in the community slated for demolition or deconstruction and even a stairwell at the Oak Bay Beach Hotel for training exercises.
Hughes said the department continues to develop a long-term plan for infrastructure.
— OakBayFire (@OakBayFireDept) May 10, 2021
READ ALSO: Student learns the ropes at Oak Bay fire in hands-on experience
Do you have a story tip? Email: vnc.editorial@blackpress.ca.
Follow us on Twitter and Instagram, and like us on Facebook.
