Suspicious fire in Kelowna commercial building

A suspicious fire in Kelowna caused minor damage to a commercial building in Kelowna.

Kelowna Fire Dispatch received numerous 911 calls at 1 p.m. this afternoon, Aug. 29, reporting flames and smoke coming from the 700 block of Baillie Avenue in Kelowna.

"On scene, the first arriving crews confirmed heavy black smoke and flames extending from pallets on the ground to the roof of a two-storey cinder block commercial building," Kelly Stephens, Platoon Captain said in a press release. "An offensive fire attack was deployed and the fire was controlled from the outside while other crews got onto the roof and into the building to check for extension."

The building sustained minor fire damage to the soffits and roof area. Smoke inside the building was mitigated by fire crews to help reduce damage to the interior.

Three engines, a command unit and rescue truck totalling 19 fire personnel were on scene to fight the fire along with assistance from RCMP.

The cause of the fire is suspicious.


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Kathy Michaels

Kathy Michaels has been an Okanagan-based journalist for more than a decade, working for community papers along the valley and beyond.
She’s won provincial and national awards in business, news and feature writing and says that her love for telling a good story rivals only her fondness for turning a good phrase.
If you have a story that deserves to be told in a thoughtful and compassionate manner, don’t hesitate to reach out.
To reach Kathy call 250-718-0428 or email kmichaels@infonews.ca.