Oliver Fire Department responds to a house fire on OIB land

'Trouble' home burns down

Photo: Sandi Hiebert

A house on McKinney Road is fully involved.

UPDATE: 3:45 p.m.

The Oliver Fire Department was quick to get out to a house fire and stop it from spreading to nearby dry grasslands on Thursday afternoon.

"We have knocked it down and are currently in the mop-up phase," OFD spokesperson Rob Graham said. "The structure will be a loss as it was fairly engulfed by the time we got on scene. So we're just [actioning] any hotspots that are inside."

Four fire trucks with about a dozen firefighters remain on scene.

Graham said at this time everyone is believed to have gotten out of the house safely.

"The structure is known to be a trouble house with the RCMP as well as the fire department. So it has frequent flyer miles on it," he added.

The fire department would also like to remind the public to stay away from the area.

"Don't be looky-loos. A couple of our apparatus had some close calls with vehicles on the side of the road and people trying to pass other people and getting in the way of engines that are responding," Graham said.

"Everybody wants to see what the smoke is from and they just get in the way."

ORIGINAL: 3:15 p.m.

A residence on McKinney Rd on Osoyoos Indian Band land is fully invovled with the Oliver Fire Department and RCMP on scene.

Eyewitnesses at the scene said six young people ran out of the house and down the road.

Castanet will update as information becomes available.

Photo: Sandi Hiebert

Photo: Sandi Hiebert