Old Vernon Road was closed to through traffic early on Monday, Sept. 7, as the Ellison Fire Department worked on a morning blaze.
Right next door to the Ellison Fire Hall, deputy chief Todd Bannatyne said the fire at the legal grow operation was difficult to extinguish because of the high winds in the area.
The fire started just before 7 a.m. and cleanup finished at around 4:30 p.m.
Bannatyne said when crews first arrived on scene, the outside of the building was already on fire, with flames climbing up into the eaves.
“It was a full defensive attack, which means we fought it from the exterior,” Bannatyne said.
He added that crews and equipment from the Lake Country and Joe Rich fire departments had to be called in to help douse the fire.
The cause of the fire is currently unknown, but the file has now been handed over to the Kelowna RCMP for investigation.
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