Thick smoke overcame a young man in his effort to extinguish a structure fire Saturday afternoon in his parents’ home, landing him in hospital suffering from smoke inhalation.
The man had attempted to extinguish a kitchen fire that had broken out at 556 Binns St. in West Trail after it was called in around 1 p.m.
No one was at home at the time the fire started, said Kootenay Boundary Regional Fire Rescue (KBRFR) Capt. Jason Milne.
But when the family of three came home Saturday afternoon, however, they noticed the smoke billowing from outside their home while inside the fire was already engaged in the kitchen.
“The son … attempted to put the fire out and received smoke inhalation in doing so,” said Capt. Milne.
It took less than six minutes for KBRFR firefighters to knock down the fire, despite having to navigate the steep and narrow streets of West Trail to get to the home.
Capt. Milne said there were many houses within a close proximity to the fire that could have presented a challenge had the fire been further engaged and spread.
But with 12 members from Trail responding—and two from Warfield—the matter was quickly dealt with, said KBRFR Capt. Jason Milne.
The matter is still under investigation by KBRFR members.
