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109th Year - Week 7 •
Wednesday, February 17, 2016
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This Smithers trailer was on fire when neighbour Kevin Dales (pictured) crawled through the black smoke to rescue a local teen, who is in a Vancouver hospital being treated for burns and smoke inhalation. Story below. Alicia Bridges photo
Airport expansion grant Daring rescue saves teen largest ever for Smithers By Alicia Bridges
Smithers/Interior News
By Chris Gareau Smithers/Interior News
Smithers’ airport may soon get a lot more leg room thanks to the largest grant the Town has ever received. Canada’s Minister of Infrastructure and Communities Amarjeet Sohi announced Friday a $4-million grant from the Gas Tax Strategic Priorities program for expansion and modernization of the Smithers Regional Airport. The $6-million project also requires Smithers to chip in $2 million, expected to come from the airport improvement fee which charges flyers $25. Under provincial law, that long-term debt financing requires a referendum or alternative approval process before the project can move forward. Smithers Mayor Taylor Bachrach said there is no timeline on a referendum yet, but that he
hopes it will happen this year. “I’m hoping residents will see the value in making this investment,” said Bachrach. The plan is that none of Smithers’ share would come from property taxes. “In part, we brought in that airport improvement fee for exactly this purpose,” said Bachrach. The Smithers’ airport terminal was built in the 1960s. This project would expand the building by 547 sq. metres (6,000 sq. ft.), and include accessible washrooms in the secure hold room, upgrades to the fire alarm and sprinkler system, and reconfiguration of the check-in, baggage claim, baggage handling and security areas. The hold room would increase from 54 to 118 seats. This expansion comes as passenger and aircraft numbers have dropped. See LANDING on A2
See TEEN on A3
SOCCER SEASON AT RISK The BV Soccer Society needs a new president to guarantee a season.
RANGER PARK FACING CLOSURE Smithers preschool struggles to overcome declining enrolment.
RUSSIANS WEIGH IN ON LNG Scientists tour B.C. to share experiences with LNG and salmon in Russia.
NEWS/A10
COMMUNITY/A14
THREE RIVERS/A20
Friday Only! Greenworks Dish Tablets see last page in A
A Smithers man who pulled his neighbour from a burning trailer moments before it erupted in flames says there was no time to think twice about risking his life to save another. Two people were inside the trailer at Hudson Bay Trailer Court when it caught fire on Feb. 5. Kevin Dales, who lives opposite the affected unit, was watching a movie with his family when he noticed his power starting to flicker. “I took a peek outside of my side window and I saw flames and embers floating in the air and I just quickly jumped up, grabbed my phone and my shoes and basically knew that this place was on fire,” he said.
Dales ran to the fire and immediately heard a woman screaming for help. He found the woman sitting inside the front door and yelled at her to flee the home while he went to call the fire department. When he returned the woman had retreated inside the smokefilled trailer to try to rescue a male youth who was trapped inside. The woman had tried but was not able to drag the youth away from the approaching flames. Dales said there was only about a foot of breathable air on the floor where he could crawl underneath the black smoke. “She was basically yelling ‘Help! Get him out!,’ ” said Dales. “She was yelling that she needed help to get this guy out so I just crawled in there until I found him.”
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