UPDATE: 1:25 p.m.
The fire started following the demolition of a building at Gellatly Boat Storage at 4058 Gellatly Road.
West Kelowna Fire Chief Jason Brolund said there was no one inside when the blaze broke out which calmed the crews’ sense of urgency to battle the flames.
West Kelowna fire: Structure fire started at the beginning of the demolition process. Building was meant to come down today.
â¦@KelownaCapNewsâ© pic.twitter.com/C1ejKYBeKE— Janelle Swift (@janelle_swift) December 16, 2020
Gellatly Road and Angus Drive are closed so crews can operate safely to extinguish the fire.
RCMP were going door-to-door in the area to notify residents to shut their doors and windows due to the smoke and fumes from the blaze.
Brolund believes the fire could burn for some time.
The building was a former fruit-packing house that was converted into boat storage.
Crews continue to fight structure fire in West Kelowna @WestKelownaNews for updates. @IAFF4457 pic.twitter.com/fciU7Bapbf
— Phil McLachlan (@newspaperphil) December 16, 2020
—————
UPDATE: 1 p.m.
According to a witness in the area, RCMP are reportedly going door to door asking residents along the east side of Angus Drive to prepare to evacuate due to the heavy smoke coming from the boat launch.
#westkelowna fire crews on scene of a structure fire on Gellatly Road South, currently battling the blaze. For @KelownaCapNews @WestKelownaNews
.@ScanKelowna pic.twitter.com/DRpv2dl8Hw— Phil McLachlan (@newspaperphil) December 16, 2020
Gellatly Road is currently closed south of the intersection with Boucherie Road. Angus Drive is also closed to traffic.
ORIGINAL:
West Kelowna fire crews are responding to a fire at a boat launch on Gellatly Road.
Crews were called to the scene just after 12:20 p.m., for reports of a fully involved structure fire at Gellatly Boat Storage at 4058 Gellatly Road.
A large plume of black smoke can be seen in the area, visible from Highway 97.
A West K News reporter is headed to the scene.
More to come.
Do you have something to add to this story, or something else we should report on? Email: michael.rodriguez@kelownacapnews.com
@michaelrdrguezLike us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter.
Fire at boat storage. Phil McLachlan, Kelowna Capital News
Fire at boat storage. Phil McLachlan, Kelowna Capital News
Fire at boat storage. Phil McLachlan, Kelowna Capital News
Fire at boat storage. Phil McLachlan, Kelowna Capital News
Fire at boat storage. Phil McLachlan, Kelowna Capital News
