Update 6:15 p.m.
Penticton fire fighters have extinguished secondary flames at an Elm Avenue apartment that was evacuated earlier this morning following a fatal fire.
Flames were reported at the building for the second time today (Oct. 27) around 5:45 p.m.
Penticton Fire Department responded and were able to knock down the flames using foam retardant.
A fire ripped through the building earlier this morning around 4 a.m., displacing all residents. Once crews extinguished hot spots, two bodies were discovered inside the building.
An investigation into the fire has been launched by the Penticton RCMP.
–
Update 5:50 p.m.
Flames are once again visible at an Elm Avenue apartment that was evacuated earlier this morning following a fatal fire.
The flames appear to be contained to the northwest corner of the building
The Penticton Fire Department is currently on scene, attempting to knock down the flames.
Wind is high, and the remaining steel roofing can be heard loudly rattling in the wind.
A fire ripped through the building earlier this morning around 4 a.m., displacing all residents. Once crews extinguished hot spots, two bodies were discovered inside the building.
–
Original 7 a.m.
Residents living in a Skaha apartment building are homeless after a fire ripped through the top floor of their home around 4 a.m. Tuesday morning.
The fire in the three-story condo complex at Elm Avenue and Parkview Street burned for several hours, with fire crews still clearing hot spots when the sun came up.
Penticton Fire Department Capt. Mike Wade said there were a couple of things working against crews in their efforts to put out the blaze.
“It is a full timber construction, so that tends to go up (in flames) a little bit faster,” said Wade.
“We also had a pretty good south wind that was driving the fire when we showed up on the scene as well. The one thing that was great for this building is that they had a solid separation wall running south to north which helped and stopped the east side of the building from being involved in the fire.”
Pictures taken by residents and neighbours show the entire top floor of the building was taken by flames. Wade said the fire department threw everything they could at the fire but were unable to save most of the west side of the building.
The street was blocked off to traffic, and residents were taken to a shelter by emergency services. RCMP also attended the scene.
The cause of the fire remains under investigation. It also isn’t known if anyone was injured or if all are accounted for.
The fire department had to wait for a structural engineer before they could finish their mop-up of the fire.
monique.Tamminga@pentictonwesternnews.comLike us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter
