Fire destroys business park

The Blue Heights business park along Highway 97 in Kelowna has been destroyed by fire.

The Kelowna Fire Department (KFD) got the call to the block between Leathead Road and McCurdy Road at around 2 a.m.

The building contains several different small businesses.

Heavy smoke was coming from all sides of the open truss roof structure, according to KFD platoon captain Scott Clarke.

“It was tough to tell which end of the building to start at, and by the time I had the command post set up we had flames through the roof… It eventually escalated into a general alarm, that means all hands on deck,” Clarke told Kelowna10.

Scott said one of the businesses had several people inside but they got out. No injuries were reported.

Crews surrounded the entire perimeter and tackled the blaze as a ‘defensive attack.’ Clarke said the fire was contained to the building although some water got onto the Lexis dealership next door.

Toxic air

Toxic smoke proved to be an issue for firefighters, given the early morning weather inversion.

Residents across the city said they could smell the acrid scent from the blaze, and the smoke was visible across much of the valley.

Clarke said the smoke was ‘pretty toxic’ and asked the public to stay away from the area. He recommended anyone feeling unwell or experiencing shortness of breath to call an ambulance or seek medical attention.

Clarke said the only way to fully extinguish the fire it is to pull the building apart. An investigation is underway.

“We have fire investigators on scene who are going to look after that.”

An Air Quality Advisory from the Ministry of Environment /Interior Health said, in part, high concentrations of fine particulate matter were expected to persist until weather conditions change.

"A large structural fire overnight and an atmospheric inversion this morning have created conditions in which emitted smoke and particulates have been trapped in the valley, near ground level."