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Prince Rupert Fire Rescue issues warning to smokers

First responders kept with busy with fire, medical and alarm calls
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Prince Rupert Fire Rescue crews were kept busy on April 22 with multiple fires, medical and alarm calls. (Photo: K-J Millar/The Northern View)

Smokers beware, is the message Prince Rupert Fire Rescue is sending out to those who like to light up.

Put it out properly, Chad Cooper deputy chief of the fire department said, on April 25.

“I want to remind residents to properly discard their cigarette butts. Preferably in a metal container with a lid or container with some water in it or sand,” Cooper said after a fire on an apartment balcony threatened the building.

Multiple fires, medical calls and residential smoke alarms kept Prince Ruper Fire-Rescue Department on the go on April 22, Chad Cooper deputy fire chief said.

Shortly before 4:30 p.m. on April 22, firefighters were called to a bush fire in the industrial park which was quickly contained, Cooper said.

The small wildfire had a good amount of flames from the dry leftover winter brush.

“The fire was upgraded to a second alarm due to several other spot fires noticed within the same location and limit limited water supply,” Cooper said.

A second engine attended the scene with an additional crew. The fire was determined to have been caused by embers caught in the wind from a permitted controlled burn at another location.

While the fire was being fought, several medical calls and residential fire alarm calls were handled by the remaining crew at the station.

Later in the evening, the fire-rescue department responded to a call in the 1000 block of Third Ave. for smoke in an apartment building. Upon arriving, firefighters found smoke in the hallway. After entering one of the suites, they found a fire on an external balcony of a unit where no one was at home.

“Luckily it was just contained to the materials burning. the cause of the fire was due to a discarded burning cigarette butt,” the deputy chief said. “There was no damage to the interior or exterior of the building.”


 K-J Millar | Editor and Multimedia Journalist 
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