Dozens of residents forced out by fire

Dozens of Kelowna residents had their long weekend plans disrupted by a fire.

The Kelowna Fire Department was called at 3:15 pm Friday after multiple 911 calls reporting black smoke coming from a first floor balcony at 1075 Barnes Road.

Platoon captain John Kelly said the first arriving officer reported flames and smoke coming from a ground floor unit at the rear of the structure.

“The flames had travelled up the exterior of the building to the fourth floor. An aggressive attack quickly extinguished the fire from the exterior. The fire breached several windows of the units resulting in some interior fire damage in the first and second floor units,” Kelly said

Sprinklers activated and caused some water damage on all affected floors.

The fire displaced 46 residents from 41 units as power had to be turned off to that section of the building.

One male was treated at the scene for smoke inhalation by BCAS crews.

Arrangements for accommodation of the displaced tenants are being made by Mission Wood Retirement Resort.