Friday May 25 8:45 p.m.
A crew of 17 firefighters from three stations in Kootenay Boundary Regional Fire Rescue responded to a Rossland Avenue house fire just after 12:30 p.m. on Friday.
Acting Captain Mike Lenarduzzi reported 11 firefighters from Station 374 Trail responded to the call of a “house explosion and structure fire” within 10 minutes.
The team, which included three firefighters from Warfield and three from Montrose, stayed at the site until 2 p.m.
Two patients were transported to hospital, he added.
“Cause of fire is under investigation by the RCMP.”
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Friday May 25 5:50 p.m.
Sgt. Darren Oelke from the Greater Trail RCMP confirmed that one man, 43, was taken to Kootenay Boundary Regional Hospital with serious burns resulting from a Gulch house fire Friday afternoon.
Oelke says a 46-year old female was not injured in the blaze which, by witness accounts, was preceded by a loud explosion.
Police and the regional fire department are continuing to investigate the Rossland Avenue site.
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Friday, May 25 4 p.m.
DriveBC tweeted that Rossland Avenue is now re-opened to single alternating traffic
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Witnesses reported hearing a loud explosion at about 12:30 p.m. Friday on the 400 block of Rossland Avenue. One witness says she thought someone had hit her parked vehicle and when she came out to check on her car, she saw thick billows of smoke emanating from 459 Rossland Avenue.
Another witness reported two occupants were in the house as well as two dogs. He also observed both occupants and one dog outside the house, before one person was transported to hospital via ambulance.
Police and fire were still on scene at 2 p.m.
Traffic is currently blocked while crews battle the blaze.
DriveBC has issued an advisory that Highway 3B is closed in both directions at Trail, east of junction of Highway 22 and 3B intersection because of “Police Incident.”
There is no estimated time of open, no detour available at this time.
Next Update 2:30pm.
More to come.
