Woman escapes flames

Photo: Oliver Daily News

One woman is safe after fleeing flames in her Oliver home Tuesday evening. 

The Oliver Fire Department was called to reports of smoke and fire at a small cabin in the back alley area of School Avenue and Okanagan Street at around 6:45 p.m. Feb. 26.

"We arrived on scene to some flames coming out from an outside floorboard siding of the house," said fire department spokesperson Rob Graham. "Our first on scene crew was able to peel apart some of the siding from the home and locate where the flames were coming from."

Graham said these type of older buildings often have sawdust for insulation which was what was on fire, and why the fire department had to rip apart bits of the floor to get water on the flames. 

"We were able to extinguish it, we did have to use a chainsaw inside to gain access to where some of the smouldering was going on, to make sure that everything was completely out," Graham said. 

The fire chief will be investigating the cause, and has no conclusions yet. 

Graham said the one resident was treated by emergency services and taken to hospital, and that her home will not be immediately habitable.