Firefighters were called to a large dumpster fire on Graystone Drive Tuesday night.
Image Credit: Shane Code/ Coldstream Fire Department
June 12, 2014 - 2:02 PM
VERNON - A flaming dumpster in Coldstream is the latest in a series of suspicious fires in the area.
The Coldstream fire department was dispatched to the Graystone Drive fire around 11:30 p.m. Tuesday.
Six firefighters were at the fire hall that night for training and were able to respond immediately.
“As we came down Kalamalka Lake Road by Alexanders we could see a large fire across the lake. We thought it was a house fire,” Coldstream fire chief Shane Code says.
“There were multiple 911 calls on this because it was such a visible fire at night.”
When firefighters arrived on scene, the dumpster was fully engulfed with flames licking 20 feet in the air.
The large, industrial dumpster was full of wood and building material from a nearby house under construction. Because the house had no siding or roof, it was particularly vulnerable to catching fire, Code says.
Firefighters were able to contain the fire and put it out after three and a half hours of challenging work.
Code says there was nothing in the dumpster that could have ignited the fire, which is now being investigated as part of a string of suspected arsons.
“Given the fact we’ve had illegal fires in that neighbourhood with teens and also this person allegedly setting fires, we’re considering it suspicious,” Code says.
As a precautionary measure, the fire department is recommending residents and businesses avoid leaving combustibles (pallets, recycling, building material) out in the open for longer than absolutely necessary.
To contact the reporter for this story, email Charlotte Helston at chelston@infotelnews.ca or call 250-309-5230. To contact the editor, email mjones@infotelnews.ca or call 250-718-2724.
News from © iNFOnews, 2014