With video: Family escapes North Shore house fire

UPDATE: 4:08 p.m. Sept. 10, 2013

KAMLOOPS – A man, his wife and infant child escaped a North Shore house fire that brought explosions and thick black smoke today.

Cpl. Cheryl Bush says police first received a report that shots were fired near the Alexander Avenue residence. As the caller continued, police heard there were explosions and flames. These were later determined to come from propane cyclinders and tubs of aerisols inside the garage where the blaze was most active.

Everyone in the duplex made it out without injury, except the family dog. It died in the fire. The family's oldest child was not home at the time. The man, who was working in the garage when the fire erupted was taken to Royal Inland Hospital as a precaution.

Multiple factors prompted emergency crews to close the area off to the public. Along with the flames, smoke and explosions, firefighters also saw a live power line was on the roadway.

Two separate families occupied the duplex and it's unknown when they'll be able to return to their homes. RCMP Victims Services and Emergency Social Services were called to assist them. 

The cause of the fire is still under investigation

UPDATE: 1:29 p.m. Sept. 10, 2013

KAMLOOPS – The fire at 363 Alexander Avenue today made for a spectacular show but was quickly brought under control.

Assistant Fire Chief Dave McMahon says the fire began in the garage. He was told a man was inside cleaning engine parts and it was oily rags coming in contact with some sort of ignition source that started the blaze. Though McMahon hadn't been inside the garage yet to see damages for himself, he was told reported explosions likely came from three 100 pound cylinders as well as tubs of aerosols and other such equipment that were inside the garage.

"That's why there were such large amounts of flame," McMahon says.

When firefighters arrived, they were met with orange flames and plumes of black smoke towering so high it cast a shadow across the North Shore area. The fire was under control by 1:30 and a pressurized system involving blowers was set up to push smoke and heat out of the building in an effort to maintain as much of the structure as possible. An estimate of damages has not been evaluated at this time.

"Nobody hurt… There were reports there was a dog in there," McMahon says. "We don't know if the dog survived, or if it was in there just yet."

To contact a reporter for this story, email jstahn@infotelnews.ca, call 250-819-3723 or tweet @JennStahn.

1:04 p.m. Sept. 10, 2013

KAMLOOPS – A house fire is spewing black smoke at 363 Alexander Avenue in the North Shore area of the city.

Firefighters and police are on scene. There are reports of explosions heard.

Police are trying to contain the scene, preventing people from coming closer than a block from the fire.

More to come.

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