PIPES AND DRUMS | Inaugural Okanagan Military Tattoo marches into Kal Tire Place [A5]
Morning gStar
The
Friday, Aug. 1, 2014
P R O U D L Y
S E R V I N G
O U R
N O R T H
w w w. v e r n o n m o r n i n g s t a r. c o m
O K A N A G A N
C O M M U N I T I E S
F O R
2 5
Y E A R S
2008 GMC Sierra 2500 HD SLE 4X4 Duramax Diesel, only 86,000 kms. Stk# 14-169A1
32,900
$
BANNISTER
4703 - 27th St. VERNON • 250-545-0606
GM DL#9133
Divers locate driver RICHARD ROLKE Morning Star Staff
Vernon firefighters respond to a blaze Thursday morning that destroyed a barn, a travel trailer, vehicles and several other items on Pottery Road.
RICHARD ROLKE/MORNING STAR
Flames engulf Pottery Road barn RICHARD ROLKE Morning Star Staff
Sherry Hudson shakes when she considers the tragedy she narrowly escaped. Hudson was sleeping in a travel trailer when fire erupted in an adjacent barn in the 1000 block of Pottery Road Thursday at about 4:30 a.m. “I woke up and it was almost like daylight in the trailer because of the flames. I could hear popping noises,” she said. Opening the door of the trailer, Hudson saw flames consuming everything in sight, including a barbecue, hay, equipment and vehicles. With the trailer on fire, there was no time for Hudson to rescue personal effects, and particularly legal papers for a property she just purchased. “I just grabbed my dogs and ran,” she said. “The barn was red hot and I could feel the heat. I ran through the garden
MARNIE ANDERSEN PHOTO
A raging barn fire on Pottery Road lights up the sky early Thursday morning. in bare feet.” Running towards her was Rick Wallas. “I was coming to drag her out,” said Wallas, who lives in a rental house on the property.
VERNON
TOYOTA
“I saw the blaze on the reflection on the wall,” he said. “There was total red and crackling. It was so engulfed I couldn’t even grab my son’s motorcycle.” In the barn was Wallas’ Bronco
and tools. Firefighters experienced a number of challenges. “It was tough to get at. The fire was at the rear of the property and we had to get in from adjoining properties,” said Jack Blair, Vernon deputy fire chief, adding that burning power lines also impacted access. The primary focus was to keep the fire from spreading to the north to a shed and the house. “We wanted to confine the fire to the area of origin and hold it there,” said Blair. Heavy equipment was needed to pull the hay apart. “We’ll be doing a fire watch with the straw for awhile to make sure there are no smoking embers,” said Blair. The cause of the fire is not known and is not being described as suspicious at this time. “It’s being investigated and we’re looking at all avenues,” said Blair.
A rural Lumby man has been located after he went missing in mid-June. RCMP divers entered the Shuswap River Thursday, near the dam on Mabel Lake Road, and discovered a 1994 Ford truck that plunged into the water June 14. “The driver was still inside the truck,” said Gord Molendyk, RCMP spokesperson. The search was on hold until now because of high water levels on the river. B.C. Hydro, which operates the dam, helped divers by drawing down the river so they could initiate the search. According to Molendyk, finding the motorist has been a priority so the family can be provided with some closure. “The family has been notified of the truck being located and the case has been turned over to the coroner’s office,” he said. Any other details, such as the identity of the individual, will be released by the coroner. It was expected the RCMP divers would be on scene today but the officers’ schedule evolved. “The availability of the team was Thursday,” said Molendyk.
WE ALWAYS HAVE 10 VEHICLES FOR UNDER
DL# 30382
PH 250-545-0687 • 3401 - 48th Ave Vernon, BC VISIT US 24/7 AT VERNONTOYOTA.COM
10,000!!!
$ $
Great Selection!
On-The-Spot Financing!