Vernon Fire Rescue Services (VFRS) responded to an early morning apartment fire on Tuesday (December 8).
At approximately 4:50 a.m., Firefighters were called to the 2900 block of 43rd Avenue. Upon arrival, they found a heavily involved fire on the main floor of a two-storey apartment building.
“It appears the fire started on the balcony of a main floor suite,” said Fire Chief David Lind. “Due to the nature of the fire, we called for additional resources, but the Firefighters who were first on the scene did a great job of knocking the fire down quickly, which kept it from spreading to neighbouring units or the second floor.”
Vernon North Okanagan RCMP and BC Ambulance Service both attended the scene. One person was taken to hospital with undisclosed injuries.
During the event, a number of people had evacuated the building, but not everyone was willing to leave the apartment, which caused concern for Firefighters.
“When the fire alarm rings, it’s time to get out,” said Chief Lind. “The safety of our citizens and our emergency responders is paramount and when there’s a fire, time is of the essence. You must leave quickly.”
The cause of the fire is unknown at this time. A fire investigation will begin later today.
-30-