Keremeos volunteer firefighters responded to an early morning blaze in Cawston on Tuesday, December 11.
The fire department was called to a residence on Beecroft Avenue in Cawston seconds after midnight to find a double wide modular home fully engulfed.
Firefighters were forced to haul water from the nearest hydrant on Lowe Drive to supply a portable tank set up near the scene. Approximately 17 firefighters fought the stubborn fire into the daylight hours. A small mop up crew was still on scene at 8:30 a.m.
A four man crew from Kaleden was also called in to assist Keremeos under the mutual aid agreement.
“It was a hot fire, tough to fight,” admitted firefighter Darcy Bridgeman as he and a tired, dirty crew broke down the porta tank and gathered up the gear. The firefighters had difficulty getting into the centre of building, hindered as well by a number of trees in close proximity that were also scorched in the blaze.
An excavator was brought in to clear some of the rubble and allow firefighters more access to the building on Tuesday morning.
Three occupants were believed to be in the building at the time. All escaped without injury.