PORT HARDY—The regular weekly practice session for the Port Hardy Volunteer Fire Department evolved into the real thing last Thursday when the firefighters responded to a call to a structure fire in Highview Trailer Park.
The quick turnout helped mitigate the damage and contain what could have been much more serious damage.
Reportedly, no one was at home at the time of the fire and no one was injured, although there was extensive smoke damage to the interior of the property.
The cause of the fire was still to be determined, although early indications pointed to the lit wood stove as the point of origin.
“We were called out at 8 p.m. during practice time,” said Fire Chief Schell Nickerson. “We were able to respond very quickly and perform a rapid attack and stop it spreading beyond the point of origin.”
With wood stove season fast approaching, Nickerson took the opportunity to remind the public of best practices. “Every chimney should be cleaned before burning season,” Nickerson said. How regularly they should be cleaned depends on usage, he added, but he gave the guideline of once per month for stoves used as the main heat source.
“The other thing would be not to have clutter around the stove — keep objects a good three feet away,” he added.