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Wednesday, April 3, 2013
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Accident claims three lives
Slalom Star
ROGER KNOX Morning Star Staff
DON WEIXL PHOTO
Gavin Donald of the Vernon Ski Club works his way to a fifth-place finish in the first boys’ slalom race Saturday in the Teck U14 Provincial Alpine Championships at Silver Star Mountain Resort. For a story and more photos, see page A24.
Apartment fire displaces residents It’s still unknown what caused a fire that forced tenants to flee a Vernon apartment building. Fire broke out in a second floor unit at Capri Gardens, in the 3300 block of 35th Avenue, at about 6:30 p.m. Sunday. “We have a pretty good theory of the cause but we need to look at it further. It’s still under investigation,” said Lawrie Skolrood, deputy fire chief. Seventy-five tenants were sent to a hotel
because of smoke-related health concerns, but many of them got the nod to move back into Capri Gardens Monday afternoon. “We want to get people in and back to some form of normalcy as soon as possible within safe parameters,” said Brent Watson, with Emergency Social Services. Tenants and relatives were dropping by Monday morning to pick up personal items and find out when they could return. “It’s been a little stressful but he’s fine,” said Mark Olsen of his father-in-law who lives in the building.
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No one was injured during the evacuation but anxiety was high as tenants watched the fire grow. “A window blew out and flames just shot out,” said one woman. Vernon firefighters were on scene within minutes of receiving the first call. “The crew gained entry and gave an interior attack and knocked it down,” said Jack Blair, deputy fire chief.
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RICHARD ROLKE Morning Star Staff
Three people have died as the result of a crash between a northbound Chevrolet pickup and a southbound Volvo station wagon shortly before 2 p.m. Sunday south of Vernon on Highway 97. RCMP are still investigating why the pickup truck crossed the centre line north of the Bailey Road turnoff hitting the station wagon head-on. “The exact cause has yet to be determined, and our officers are working to piece things together,” said Vernon-North Okanagan RCMP spokesperson Gord Molendyk Tuesday morning. “We’ll be looking at the mechanical condition of the vehicle. We’ll be looking a little more closely at the surviving driver, who remains in hospital. Was there medical factors or other things that may have contributed to this crash?” Police have said that alcohol does not appear to be a contributing factor. Two men – a 19-year-old from Armstrong who was a passenger in the truck, and the 70-year-old driver of the Volvo from Salmon Arm – died at the scene. A third person, the 67-year-old wife of the Salmon Arm man, died in Kelowna General Hospital. She suffered serious head injuries in the crash. “The families of the victims have asked for more time to notify other family members before names will be released,” said Molendyk. The driver of the truck, a 21-year-old Spallumcheen man, remains in hospital with head injuries but is expected to recover. Police were hoping to talk to him Tuesday or Wednesday. A small fire started in the truck after the accident but was extinguished very quickly by one of the police officers at the crash site. The highway was closed for several hours after the accident. Police have interviewed three or four witnesses to the crash, but anyone who may have witnessed the accident and has not spoken to the police should contact the Vernon-North Okanagan detachment at 250-545-7171.
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