Members of the County Regional Fire Service were dispatched to a barn fire south of Huallen on November 5th.
County Fire Service Deputy Chief Chad Cormack describes the scene, saying his crews were called to a two-storey barn fire south of Huallen at around 2:15 p.m. Upon arrival, crews observed the blaze had completely enveloped the back half of the barn, before applying water and waiting for more manpower to arrive.
Cormack says fire service members from Clairmont, Dunes, Wembley, Beaverlodge, and Hythe responded and managed to quickly bring the fire under control.
“When we got some more apparatus on the scene, more manpower, we were able to bring the fire under control in about an hour,” he says. “Crews remained on scene for about five hours total just putting out hotspots, getting access to any hidden fires within the structure.”
While the exact cause of the fire is still under investigation, Cormack maintains there was never any risk to the public due to the fire’s proximity to other structures. Still, Cormack took a moment to discuss some fire safety techniques for property owners to implement ahead of the cold season.
“We don’t know the cause but in general, ensure any external heat sources are away from anything flammable,” he says. “Especially in the Fall time, kind of before the winter season hits.”
The Deputy Fire Chief also recommends cleaning and inspecting wood and gas burning fire places on an annual basis to avoid any fire risk when cozying up to the fireplace this winter.