UPDATE: 1:20 p.m.
Plumes of black smoke and flames emanated from a Lumby home as multiple firefighters worked to quell the blaze.
Lumby and District Fire Department crews responded to the house fire in the 2200 block of Shuswap Avenue shortly after 10:30 a.m. Tuesday, July 18.
Ryker Engelbertink, 14, was staying at his father’s house next door to the burning building when he was awoken by what he said sounded like explosions.
“There were multiple bangs. By the time I called 911, they said they were already there,” Engelbertink said.
Engelbertink’s father Remko was at work when his son, who was visiting from Calgary, called him about the fire.
“I had him crying on the phone saying the house was on fire,” Remko said. “Our hot tub is gone and our fence, and we’ve got a couple cracked windows. It came right along the spine of the roof. It’s done. It will have to be demolished.”
Lumby and District Fire Department fire chief Tony Clayton said that it was a fully-engulfed structure fire when they arrived.
“When I got here there was a lot of black smoke and flames in every window,” Clayton said, adding that flames originated at the back of the house. “They did an immediate attack and with this heat we called in Lavington (firefighters) to help just for extra man power.”
Clayton said the homeowner was in Vernon at the time and there are no reported injuries.
Given the high heat, approximately 30 C at the time of the fire, Clayton said it was difficult to ensure that firefighters stayed cool and hydrated.
“We had a few people that had to go over to the ambulance just to get cooled down and checked over,” Clayton said.
Multiple vehicles were dispatched and an estimated 20 firefighters from Lumby and Lavington were on scene.
The cause of the fire is still under investigation.
UPDATE: 11:55 a.m.
A reporter on scene said crews are continuing to attack the hotspots of the house fire, which now appears to be largely under control.
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Original
Emergency personnel are responding to the scene of a house fire on Shuswap Avenue in Lumby.
According to reports, four Lumby and District Fire Department units have been dispatched to the blaze in the 2200 block of Shuswap Avenue in Lumby, which was reported shortly after 10:30 a.m.
Details concerning the cause of the fire or any resulting injuries are not yet known.
More to come.
@VernonNews
parker.crook@vernonmorningstar.com
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