Friday  – 911 dispatch call 8:56 am

RCMP officers and Osoyoos Fire department crews responded to blaze at the north boundary of the Town of Osoyoos early today. Upon arriving the home was engulfed in flames.

Two persons (a man and a women) lived in the duplex – west side – but escaped to safety.

Neighbour Edgar Scheer said firefighters banged on his door shortly after 9:00 am.

“They said get dressed and get out,” he said. “The fire between their house and the fence was burning 20 feet high, and I saw her, she was lying down covered in blankets in front of my place. I saw her arm and face, and she looked rough. The man’s face and arms were burned, and he was running around in his underwear.”

Osoyoos Fire Chief Rick Jones said when he arrived on scene it was burning out the front, and the man and woman were outside. Reports indicated that the burns were serious.

Police and the Fire Commissioner are investigating. The fire may have started in the front part of the home based on path of the flames.

The charred building is an older structure at the south-west corner of 87th St. and 92nd Ave.

8701 – 92nd Avenue Osoyoos is the location of the fire.

Nearby residents stated they were concerned about a delay of up to 30 minutes in getting ambulances on the scene. RCMP confirmed that Osoyoos EMS were on another call at time of the incident and a crew from Oliver was called to assist.

A middle aged couple lived in the duplex. Both were taken to South Okanagan General Hospital in Oliver – the female sustained serious burns and flown to Vancouver. The man in his forties was taken by air ambulance out of Oliver at about 2pm for treatment in Kelowna.

RCMP Sgt. Ken Harrington stated that two persons were transported out of Osoyoos by EMS crews and the helicopter was requested to be ready to transport the injured couple to Kelowna General Hospital because of the nature of the injuries.

An air ambulance left Oliver at 12:35 pm and returned at 2pm.

 

Thanks to Castanet, Global Okanagan and Osoyoos Daily News for contributing to this story.

Google Earth photo used