Historic building burns

UPDATE 9:10 p.m.

One of Kelowna’s oldest buildings was destroyed by fire Monday evening.

The 147-year-old Fleming farmhouse in Mill Creek Park at the base of Dilworth Mountain went up in flames around 6 p.m., sending up a large plume of smoke visible from across the city.

Central Okanagan Heritage Society president Don Knox called the fire “shocking,” explaining, “there just really isn’t much around that compares to it in terms of age.”

“Kelowna, unlike Penticton and Vernon, started out with less heritage stock to begin with. So anything we lose, especially on this scale, is unfortunate,” he added. “It's a big loss to the citizens of Kelowna and is very sad.”

He said the Fleming home was built by Frederick Brent just before he built the adjacent mill itself, which is the oldest surviving grist mill in B.C. The home has siding on it now, but is a log structure. Knox voiced concern that fire damage to the logs would be irreparable.

The last restoration work done on the home was carried out on its roof about a decade ago.

The property is under the care of the City of Kelowna and is fenced in. Knox says the fences, however, do a poor job of keeping people out and security is needed to check on the area regularly.

While there hasn’t been the funding to properly restore the site for years, Knox said there has been recent hope that it could be tied in with the rail trail initiative as some sort of stopping point.

Still no word on the cause of the fire.

UPDATE 7:20 p.m.

Firefighters remain at the scene of the historic Brent’s Grist Mill in Kelowna at the base of Dilworth Mountain, where a fire has torn through one of the buildings on the property.

Fire crews have filled Mill Creek Linear Park, which is home to the 147-year-old Fleming House. The historic 1871 farmhouse is associated with Brent’s Mill, of the same age. A historic dairy barn is also on the property, however the Fleming House is the only structure impacted.

Flames appear to have died down, but crews are continuing to hit the building with water.

ORIGINAL 6:20 p.m.

Firefighters in Kelowna are responding to a structure fire at the base of Dilworth Mountain.

A large plume of smoke can be seen from the surrounding area, originating near Dilworth Drive and Leckie Place. Photos submitted to Castanet show fire crews battling a blaze at an old building in Mill Creek Linear Park near Brent's Grist Mill.

Castanet will update as more information becomes available.