A fire on the rooftop of a downtown Vernon business was quickly extinguished Thursday.
Vernon firefighters responded to Distinctive Decor Antiques on 30th Avenue March 26 around 10 a.m. after reports of black smoke and a toxic plastic smell.
A fire was sparked on the rooftop deck of the building next to the antique store and was not visible from the road or easily accessible. Crews were still able to quickly access and extinguish the fire using a ladder to access the roof of the building from the rear while other firefighters investigated inside through the front doors to ensure the fire hadn’t spread.
“Today was an example of the dedicated work and expertise of our local firefighters,” said Deputy Chief Scott Hemstad. “Because of their actions, damage to the building was minimized and the fire was kept from extending to other buildings in the Downtown core.”
The incident was classified as a structure fire and city officials say there was no significant damage to the building reported at this time.
The stores were closed at the time of the fire. The sidewalk in front of the store was blocked off temporarily while crews mopped up.
No injuries have been reported. Crews are still investigating the incident and will provide more information at a later time.
Vernon firefighters are responding to a roof fire at a downtown antique store on 30th Avenue. pic.twitter.com/pvC532TbIV
— Vernon Morning Star (@VernonNews) March 26, 2020
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