Fire crews mounted an ‘interior attack’ and quickly put out a fire which started around 3:45 p.m. on May 17, at the Lakeway Market on Kawkawa Lake Rd.
Sky Fornasier was driving by the shuttered market at 65620 Kawkawa Lake Rd. at around 3:50 p.m., she saw smoke billowing out of a window and flames coming from a skylight. She phoned the fire in, as did another passerby. Fire crews, including three fire trucks and two other fire department vehicles, police and ambulance were on scene by 4 p.m.
Eight firefighters began by spraying down the roof of the building where flames were coming out of a skylight, then four mounted what fire chief Tom DeSorcy called an ‘interior attack’: two firefighters entered the building and two assisted from outside.
DeSorcy said the fire appeared to have started in the bathroom, the cause of the fire is still under investigation.
By 4:20 p.m. DeSorcy said the fire was out and final searches of the building were ongoing at 4:30 p.m.
The building has not been inhabited for the past six months said Kevin Kwong, co-owner of Kan-Yon Restaurant and manager of the property for the owners who reside in China. Kwong, who watched as crews fought the fire, said he checks the property every week and when he last checked it Sunday he didn’t see anything amiss.
Kwong said the building is locked at all times and both gas and hydro, potential sources of fire, are switched off.
The shuttered Lakeway Market has suffered at least two break-ins, the latest one on Jan. 25. Hope resident Kevin Larry Pete faces charges of break and enter with intent in relation to the incident.
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