Firefighters in Jaffray responded to another fire in the metals pile at the Tie Lake Transfer Station on Wednesday night.
“The fire started in the engine compartment and did not spread beyond the car itself,” said Elk Valley & South Country Rural Fire & Rescue Services Deputy Chief Michael Hockley. “RCMP were able to locate the person who drove the vehicle to the site and he informed us that the car had overheated, causing a fire. The occupant had used a fire extinguisher on the car and believed the fire was fully out before leaving the site; however, it continued smoldering.”
Five firefighters and four trucks responded from the Jaffray Fire Department and fully extinguished the fire.
The Regional District of East Kootenay said this was the fourth fire at the transfer station’s metal pile since April 17th. The cause of Wednesday’s fire has been determined, but the other three fires are suspicious in nature.
“We are appealing to the residents and users of the transfer station site to report any suspicious activity and to avoid any activity on site that could lead to a fire,” said Hockley.
In addition to environmental and potential health hazards associated with fires in the metal pile, the transfer station is surrounded if forest, which could lead to a fire spreading beyond the site.
“Every time one of our firefighters responds to these calls, it puts them in danger. These fires at this transfer station are all preventable and it is unacceptable that our members and the community are being potentially put at risk,” explained Hockley.
Anyone with information about the recent suspicious fires is asked to contact Cranbrook RCMP or the Jaffray Fire Hall non-emergency line at 250-429-3133
