Fiery crash threatens mountainside
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Updated: August 25, 2009 11:07 AM
A fiery car crash west of Revelstoke threatened a nearby mountainside last week, but thanks to a quick response by emergency medical services and fire fighters both the car’s driver and the hillside were saved.
The crash, which police say happened at seven in the evening on August 18, occurred 6 kilometres west of Revelstoke along the Trans-Canada Highway.
According to police report by RCMP Constable Attlesey, the vehicle was travelling Eastbound when it left the road, tumbled down a 20 foot bank, and burst into flames. The vehicle’s driver, along with one of his dogs, was rescued and transported to hospital by the BC Ambulance Service.
The burning vehicle alighted nearby trees, forcing the Revelstoke Highway Rescue crew to began an initial attack. The Revelstoke Fire Service’s Engine One was also dispatched to deal with the blaze.
“Prior to [Revelstoke Highway] Rescue arriving, we received information that the vehicle was on fire,
so we rolled Engine One because we weren’t sure whether or not [the fire] was inside the city limits,” said Revelstoke Fire Chief Rob Girard.
“It turned out that [the fire] was maybe 200 metres outside of our protection area, so I made the call to go outside of the protection area based on the vehicle fire in the trees threatening, possibly, the city of Revelstoke,” continued Chief Girard.
“Subsequently, I received the Mayor’s approval to do that, which was greatly appreciated,” noted Girard. “Sometimes we have to make those decisions based on the fact that things have to happen quickly.”
“The vehicle was over the bank and on fire. Revelstoke Highway Rescue began an initial attack, followed by Engine One ... and it was supported by the tender. We used about 3700 gallons [of water] on the fire to extinguish it. We had 24 members on scene and they were able to contain it,” said Chief Girard.
“We did put the Initial Attack Base on alert that they may need to bring in a helicopter and a bucket if it did get away on us, but it didn’t, so we were very fortunate on that one,” explained Girard. “The concern that I, as the fire chief, had was that if this had been two weeks ago, when we were in the extreme [fire] hazard rating, that fire would have easily gone up that bank and up the mountain and caused a major problem.”
According to the RCMP, the accident was likely caused by a blown tire. Both the driver and a pet dog were safely recovered from the wrecked vehicle; an additional dog is still missing.
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