There are new questions about what happened just moments before a mass fire destroyed a Long-term care home under construction IN Penticton, BC’s Green Avenue last week.
While the cause is being investigated, Global News has obtained photos of a person at the construction site just a few minutes before the fire broke out and the fire department was called.
One photo shows the person approaching a window frame, while another photo appears to show the person jumping from it.
Sources tell Global News that RCMP were called to the site for a possible trespassing complaint, with the officer in charge noticing the flames shortly after arriving.
RCMP have yet to confirm the trespass call.
According to the City of Kelowna, the RCMP has now taken over the investigation.
“The fire department is working in conjunction with the RCMP, but the RCMP is now responsible for the investigation from here on out,” said Kristen Dixon, general manager of infrastructure and deputy city manager for the City of Penticton.
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Late Wednesday, the city lifted its local state of emergency and evacuation order for 10 properties.
“I went right down,” said Brenda van Ingen, one of the evacuees. “So relieved.”
The fire destroyed one house, while several others suffered some fire and smoke damage.
It also burned part of a crane at the site, potentially compromising its structural integrity, which caused a handful of nearby homes to be evacuated.
“It was difficult to complete the inspection for the crane, but the engineer was able to do that inspection and complete it yesterday and confirmed that it is stable, to allow the area to be deemed safe to return to,” Dixon said.
The Van Ingen home is one of the properties considered at risk if the crane falls.
She feels grateful not only to be back home, but also to have one that is still standing.
“Thank God. It could have been a lot worse,” van Ingen said.
The fire department said flying embers started six other fires in the neighborhood, one of them in the cedar fence between her home and a neighboring property.
“Apparently it was fully engulfed in flames and obviously the firemen got in here or Norm’s house would have been gone, my shelter and probably my house too,” she said.
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