Quick action averts major fire

Quick work by the owner of M & T Northside Services averted what could have been a major fire at his Ellis Street business.

Photo: Wayne Moore - Castanet

Shortly after 11 a.m. Monday morning, mechanics were making repairs to a vehicle gas tank inside the automotive repair facility when the fire started.

"They were doing some welding on it and it flashed on them," says Kelowna Fire Department Platoon Captain, Dale Calhoun.

"It was far enough away from everything so the owner had a chance to pull it out of the building. They used dry chemicals on it and were able to put it out."

The building did fill up with some smoke, but otherwise the damage was contained to the gas tank.

"No damage to the building, no damage to the vehicle itself. It was just the gas tank when it flashed through the vapours of the gas."

Calhoun says the situation could have been much worse, but credited the owner and the employees with getting on top of it right away and removing the tank before it could cause any further damage.

He adds a procedural error was the likely cause.

The owner did receive a slight burn to his hand or arm during the ordeal.

He was being checked out by BC Ambulance paramedics.