UPDATE: Man who died in West Kelowna fire identified; two more in critical condition

WEST KELOWNA – A man injured last night during an “explosive house fire” has been identified independently of police.

Social media sources, verified independently, confirm that the dead man was David Hunt. RCMP and BC Coroners Service are now investigating the circumstances of his death.

Four people were inside the residence in the 3000 block of Elliot Road when an explosion occurred at around 9:45 p.m. yesterday, July 4, West Kelowna RCMP media relations officer Cpl. Meghan Foster said in a press release.

Two of the four are in critical condition and another has been released with minor injuries, Foster said.

RCMP have not released the names of the other victims but a GoFundMe page set up for Chiara Boehlke and her boyfriend Aleck Villeneuve by her sister confirms the woman and man suffered “massive burns” during the blaze and says they have been airlifted to Vancouver.

The cause of the fire is still unknown and investigators will be gathering evidence at the scene for several days, Foster added.

Anyone with information about this incident is asked to contact West Kelowna RCMP at 250-768-2880.

— This story was updated at 2:32 p.m. Thursday, July 5, 2018 with the identity of the victim.


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John McDonald

John began life as a journalist through the Other Press, the independent student newspaper for Douglas College in New Westminster. The fluid nature of student journalism meant he was soon running the place, learning on the fly how to publish a newspaper.

It wasn’t until he moved to Kelowna he broke into the mainstream media, working for Okanagan Sunday, then the Kelowna Daily Courier and Okanagan Saturday doing news graphics and page layout. He carried on with the Kelowna Capital News, covering health and education while also working on special projects, including the design and launch of a mass market daily newspaper. After 12 years there, John rejoined the Kelowna Daily Courier as editor of the Westside Weekly, directing news coverage as the Westside became West Kelowna.

But digital media beckoned and John joined Kelowna.com as assistant editor and reporter, riding the start-up as it at first soared then went down in flames. Now John is turning dirt as city hall reporter for iNFOnews.ca where he brings his long experience to bear on the civic issues of the day.

If you have a story you think people should know about, email John at jmcdonald@infonews.ca