Luckily no injuries after a fire on Latimer Street in Nelson on Tuesday, December 18. Nelson Fire and Rescue Services say they responded to a report of smoke coming from the roof of a building at 4:12PM.
The first arriving crew donned breathing apparatus and were able to extinguish the fire.
Fire Chief Len McCharles says there wasn’t a proper fire alarm system in place but the sprinklers did kick in which helped.
“Without having enough fire alarm system there were people in other parts of the building who were just going about their business, including the beer tasting venue that was there. So we came along and said ‘hey, there’s a fire in the building, you need to get out’ and people were a little surprised, but in the end everyone cooperated and no one was hurt in any way.”
In this case Chief McCharles says the building was very old and they’re working with the building owner to get an alarm system in place.
The delayed action sprinkler system had managed to keep much of the fire under control but it had extended above the sprinkler system into the rafters above the ceiling. Crews removed the ceiling dry wall and insulation to stop the fire from extending into the rest of the building.
The crew was split as some tackled the blaze and others worked to evacuate the building and prevent more people from entering, according to Chief McCharles. In all, 21 firefighters responded to the incident with two fire engines and two utility vehicles.
Damage is estimated to be between $40,000 and $60,000 and the cause of the fire is still under investigation. It’s another important reminded to test your smoke alarms at home and fire alarms in businesses to ensure they’re working.