Multiple occupants escape Kelowna townhouse fire

A fire that broke out in a residential structure in Kelowna’s Landmark neighbourhood led to nearly two dozen firefighters responding.

The Kelowna Fire Department said crews responded to a fire in a townhouse complex in the 2100 block of Burtch Road at approximately 6:30 a.m. Wednesday, June 19.

The department dispatched a total of 22 firefighters to the scene, attending with three engines, two ladder trucks, one rescue unit, one safety unit and one commander unit.

Upon arriving, crews identified visible flames and smoke coming from one unit.

“The one [townhouse] unit in the middle was on fire, and it was a quick stop by the fire crews, a great save, and the ones on either side did not experience any damage at all due to the fire,” Sandra Follack, Deputy Chief of the Kelowna Fire Department, told Vernon Matters.

“The majority of the damage was in the upstairs main bedroom, at the front of the townhouse unit.”

Follack said multiple occupants living in the unit made it out without injuries. They had pets as well, and all but one cat were accounted for, with the residents believing it had ran away during the fire.

The Kelowna RCMP and fire inspectors are investigating the cause of the fire, and the occupants have been displaced during this process.

The Kelowna Fire Department said the fire should act as a reminder to other residents to check their fire alarms regularly.