The Keremeos Volunteer Fire Department responded to a structure fire in Cawston at 4 a.m. Saturday morning.

The building was fully involved by the time the first truck arrived.

Water had to be shuttled to the scene and with only 10 Keremeos firefighters available a request was sent to Osoyoos, who sent five firefighters to assist.

During the fire a wall collapsed onto a natural gas line, breaking it and all crews had to vacate the site until a specialized crew arrived from Fortis Gas Kelowna to clamp the underground steel gas service.

Firefighters with the assistance of a local contractor and excavator were then able to extinguish the fire.

RCMP have confirmed that the coroner’s service has been called in.

With files from Castanet