Nelson Fire Rescue deals with blaze on city boundary towards Salmo
By Nelson Daily Staff
Damage is estimated at approximately $4,000 following an early morning fire Thursday south of Nelson said Nelson Fire Rescue in a media release.
The call came in to Nelson Fire Rescue at 1:38 a.m. of a report of a tree on fire just south of the city boundary towards Salmo. Both on duty members responded immediately followed by one additional member responding to the station from home.
“When the first arriving crew was approaching the scene they encountered embers in the air from the fire and discovered multiple objects on fire when they arrived,” the Nelson Fire Rescue release said.
“There were two travel trailers, a boat, and a shed involved with the fire already spreading to the adjacent trees. Confirmation was received that there were no occupants in the burning trailers. RCMP and NPD members assisted with evacuating the remaining trailers.”
Nelson Fire Rescue said one occupant suffered second degree burns to his arm and respiratory tract as well as smoke inhalation and was transferred to Kootenay Lake Hospital by BC Ambulance.”
Nelson Fire Rescue said the first arriving crew’s primary objective was to protect the exposures and prevent the fire from spreading to additional trailers and the forest as well as cooling the numerous propane cylinders there were in the vicinity. Three cylinders were easily accessible and removed from the heat while additional ones were cooled with hose streams to prevent them from continuing to vent. Additionally, members working around the trailers observed a large quantity of discarded needles.
Nelson Fire Rescue said all off-duty and auxiliary members were requested to respond to the scene to assist with containing this fast moving fire. As there are no hydrants in the area the call was made for mutual aid from Beasley, Blewett, and the North Shore Fire Departments to provide water shuttle support.
“In all, nine firefighters responded to the incident with two fire engines, one tender truck, and one utility vehicle,” Nelson Fire Rescue said. “One injury was reported as a result of this incident.”
Damage and loss is estimated at $40000. The cause of the fire is still under investigation by the Nelson RCMP and Nelson Fire & Rescue Services.
Nelson Fire Rescue said the fire appears to have originated in or around one of the trailers and spread to the other structures.
Nelson Fire & Rescue Services would like to take this opportunity to remind everyone to ensure that they remove all combustible materials from around their homes and to never store propane in concealed places.
