One man was taken to hospital for smoke inhalation after trying to put out a fire in a dryer at Salmon Arm’s Best Western Lodge Friday morning.
The man was taken to Shuswap Lake General Hospital to be checked out after he inhaled smoke while using a fire extinguisher on the small blaze.
Rod Macfarlane, an officer with the Salmon Arm Fire Department, says the fire began when an industrial clothes dryer become so hot in the interior of the machine that it ignited the contents.
A staff member attempted to put out the blaze and managed to get much of it under control before becoming overcome with smoke and needing to exit the building.
“We called in units from Halls #2 and 3 and could see the smoke on arrival,” says Macfarlane. “The gentleman had tried to put it out, and got a lot of it done, so we just went in with a single hose and finished off the job by hosing around it and underneath.”
Macfarlane says they were able to limit the water and smoke damage to the building and used ventilation fans to clear out the building.
BC Ambulance crews checked out the man who attempted to extinguish the blaze, as well as a few other people. A decision was made to take the one man to hospital for further examination by doctors. No one else was taken for medical attention.
Fire crews were on scene for less than an hour.
Original version, March 23
Fire and ambulance crews have been sent to the Best Western Hotel on 10th Street SW, near the Salmon Arm Waterslides.
Reports are indicating smoke is showing at the scene at approximately 9:15 a.m. and ambulance crews are reportedly checking out a few people for smoke inhalation.
The fire is said to have originated in a laundry room.
The Observer has sent a reporter to the scene and we will update the story as information becomes available.
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