Lucky the chief was handy

A pellet stove lies in the snow in front of the residence where fire fighters dragged it after a residential fire in the 1900 Block of Laforme Boulevard Thursday evening. David F. Rooney photo
A pellet stove lies in the snow in front of the residence where fire fighters dragged it after a residential fire in the 1900 Block of Laforme Boulevard Thursday evening. David F. Rooney photo

Fast action by Fire Chief Rob Girard Thursday evening helped save a home on Laforme Boulevard from fire.

The Fire Chief was just clearing a sprinkler activation alarm at tRevelstoke Mountain Resort when someone called 911 to report a fire on the 1900 Block of Laforme.

“Upon arrival to the residence I discovered residents which included a child, huddled in blankets in the doorway of the house which was filled with smoke,” Girard said in a statement.  “I quickly got them safely into my vehicle while waiting for our front line engine to arrive on scene, moments later.”

Fire crews entered the home, extinguished the fire and removed ae pellet stove to the front of the house for further overhaul and then ventilated the smoke from the residence.

“The fire was isolated to the stove and venting system crews did a great job in actioning the fire quickly,” Girard said.  “The four occupants of the residence were woken up by their smoke detector and if they had not had a functioning smoke detector, this incident would have been a lot worse.”

As it was, one occupant did sustain smoke inhalation and Revelstoke Fire Rescue’s First Responders administered oxygen, while awaiting the arrival of BC Ambulance for transport to hospital.  Firefighters extinguished and overhauled the fire in just under an hour and a half, Girard said.