Fire crews in Fairmont Hot Springs responded to a reported chimney fire on Wills Road around 12:30 a.m. on Wednesday, March 8th.
A crew of 12 firefighters along with a water tender truck from Windermere arrived on scene to find the home on fire. The blaze was in the vicinity of the chimney, including the roof and in the eaves.
“The fire was contained to the roof area of the house. (It) did not burn down through the house, through the rooms, it just stayed in the roof,” said Columbia Valley Rural Fire and Rescue Services fire chief Jim Miller.
Miller stated that the fire was not suspicious in nature and all occupants of the home got out safely. No other homes in the area were in danger from this blaze. The fire crew was able to save the home with minimal damage so the home will not have to be torn down.
“The roof was burnt through in a couple different areas, so it’s being sealed up right now. There is some water damage throughout the house, but damage was actually quite minimal for the most part in the rooms,” said Miller.
As that area of Fairmont has no fire hydrants, a team from Windermere was asked to accompany the Fairmont crew to provide additional water if needed.
“We had them come down with an extra truck with water, a water tender truck to backup because there are no hydrants in that area,’ said Miller.
The fire chief commended his crew and the team from Windermere, saying they did a fantastic job. The cause of the fire is unknown at this time and an investigation as to what caused this fire is ongoing.
