Sprinkler system saves golf club’s pro shop

DISCARDED CIGARETTE LIKELY CAUSE

KELOWNA – The cause of an early morning fire at the Michaelbrook Ranch Golf Club’s pro shop was likely a cigarette butt smouldering in a flower pot.

Kelowna Fire Rescue was called at about 3:40 a.m. Saturday and when firefighters arrive they found fire burning on the outside of the wood siding, the second floor overhanging deck and through a window into the pro shop.

The sprinkler system kept the fire at bay until firefighter put it completely out.

There is significant smoke and water damage to the pro shop and a strong smell of smoke in the upstairs offices.

"Someone perhaps leaving the pub on site butted a cigarette in the pot. It smouldered away and carried on climbing up the cedar siding," fire investigator Russ Van de Sype told Global Okanagan.

The golf course is open and a restoration company is working to fix the damage.

To contact the reporter for this story, email Adam Proskiw at aproskiw@infotelnews.ca or call 250-718-0428. To contact the editor, email mjones@infotelnews.ca or call 250-718-2724.

– This story was updated at 9:11 a.m., Sunday, June 8, 2014 to add the cause of the fire.