Prince Rupert Fire Rescue attended two minor calls during the week ending July 18, that potentially could have been major incidents, had it not been for staff diligence and attention, Chad Cooper, deputy fire chief said.
On July 14, emergency crews responded to a morning call at the Canadian Border Security complex on Ridley Island where a pallet of used computer batteries was found to be smoking. The batteries, which were due to be shipped away, had become damaged in transit with the plastic casing melted from electrical points coming into contact.
An employee was alerted to the smoke odour and the issue was quickly extinguished.
Later in the week, at 2 p.m. on July 18, fire fighters were dispatched to a commercial structure fire, in the BC Hydro building on Wilson Ave.
Upon arrival fire crews found light smoke coming from a structure.
“Due to the quick reaction of a employee onsite, the fire was contained to a storage room by closing doors and limiting access for fire spread,” Cooper said. “Firefighters quickly entered the structure and fully extinguished any remaining fire.”
Once the fire was extinguished, crews proceeded to ventilate the remainder of the smoke to reduce further property damage.
“Luckily there was no fire extension outside the storage room,” Cooper said. “The employee saved them a lot of damage.
Issuing an advisory to the public, Cooper said that closing doors when you are sleeping, or are away from a business or home assists in isolating a fire and prevents the spread.
No injuries were reported and the cause of the fire is being investigated.
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K-J Millar | Journalist
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