Revelstoke fire crews made swift work of a nighttime emergency Tuesday, dousing a basement burn in 18 minutes and hailing the presence of a smoke alarm in the residents' safe evacuation.
Revelstoke Fire Rescue Services (RFRS) responded at 2:22 a.m. on Aug. 12 to a residential structure fire on Pearkes Drive in Columbia Park, deploying six vehicles and 17 crew members.
In the dead of night, while most residents slept, the firefighters encountered heavy smoke in the building's basement. However, "no flames were visible at the time of entry, and the fire did not extend into the structure," the City of Revelstoke said in a release.
Crews had put the damper on the burn by 2:40 a.m., reporting no injuries to either the residents or RFRS personnel.
"The cause is under investigation and all evidence leads to an appliance failure," RFRS said on Facebook.
Fire Chief Steven DeRousie emphasized that a functioning smoke alarm system had alerted the residents Tuesday morning and given them ample time to evacuate the building and call 911.
"This incident highlights the critical importance of having working smoke alarms in your home," DeRousie commented in the release. "This is a perfect example showing that working smoke alarms save lives and property. Test your alarms regularly and, if battery-operated, replace the batteries at least once a year."
RFRS "commends the swift and coordinated response of its team and reminds residents to ensure all appliances and smoke alarms are regularly inspected and maintained," the city added.
