CHILLIWACK TIMES TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 26, 2013
News
Substation blaze last year’s biggest BY PAUL J. HENDERSON phenderson@chilliwacktimes.com
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ast year started with a bang for Chilliwack firefighters as a massive blaze at BC Hydro’s Atchelitz substation resulted in hundreds of thousands of dollars in damage, an oil leak and power outages across the city. The Chilliwack Fire Department (CFD) responded to 343 fires in 2012, up from 270 in 2011 and 299 in 2010, but down from the 389 in 2009 and 357 in 2008, according to the annual fire report presented to city council last week.
Overall the CFD faced 2,260 calls for service, which resulted in 12 fire-related injuries and fire losses totalling $4.6 million, according to Chief Rick Ryall. Of those total losses, $3.9 million (85 per cent) was the result of residential fires. Last year saw the highest number of emergency medical aid and public service responses over the last five years, while there were fewer burning complaints and hazardous material calls since 2008. The 12 fire-related injuries in 2012, including one firefighter, were the fewest in the last seven years. The highest num-
ber since 2006 was in 2007 when there were 22. The CFD budget of $5.19 million in 2012 was a 7.5 per cent increase from $4.8 million in 2011. That’s a per capita increase from $58.54 per person in 2011 to $62.70 in 2012. The leading causes of fires in Chilliwack in 2012, in descending order, were: cooking, arson, smoking materials and electrical. Other numbers from the report for 2012: 49 vehicle fires (resulting in a dollar loss), 34 dumpster fires and 199 burning complaints.
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operation in a detached outbuilding, inside of which two rooms were used exclusively to grow marijuana, police say. Inside, they found only 10 plants but more than $6,000 worth of dried bud. “Grow operations remain a focus of
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Few plants, but plenty of marijuana ounties seized $6,000 worth of pot, but only 10 plants, from a marijuana grow operation bust last week in Agassiz. Agassiz RCMP executed a search warrant in the 2000 block of Ashton Road on Feb. 19. They found a grow
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the Agassiz RCMP as outlined in the Upper Fraser Valley Strategic Plan,” RCMP Const. Tracy Wolbeck said in a press release. “This is [marijuana] that will now be destroyed instead of hitting our streets.” - Staff
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Police looking for dented white minivan drove off. The vehicle is described by RCMP as an “older white minivan with dents and scratches on it.” A window was missing from the rear sliding door area. The driver was described as white, with brown greasy shaggy hair. He had a very deep voice. ◗ Anyone with information is asked to contact the RCMP at 604-792-4611 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477.
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ounties are warning the public to be on the lookout for a dented white van after a suspicious incident earlier this week. Police say a boy was walking home from Vedder middle school down Balmoral Avenue around 3:20 p.m. Feb. 19 when a van approached. The male driver asked the boy if he wanted a ride. The youth did not respond and continued to walk. The van, meanwhile,
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