At 1:15 p.m. on Monday, June 26, Fernie Fire Department (FFD), EMS, and RCMP responded to two calls within two minutes of each other.
At approximately 1:15 p.m., a dump truck heading north on Pine Ave. veered off the road, hitting a BC Hydro box, a pickup truck, eventually colliding into a house. It is known that the driver blacked out, but the reason why is unknown. The driver was carefully taken away by paramedics, and his injuries at this time are unknown. Damage sustained to the property appeared to be a dented truck bed, a cracked wall and a broken window.
At 1:17 p.m., FFD received word of a grass fire South of Fernie in Cokato, in a ditch close to the mobile park home. Those living in the area were able to snuff out the majority of the fire, and the fire department was able to assist in finishing the job.
“We’re thankful to them,” said FFD training officer, Brendan Morgan.
Although it is not confirmed, the fire department suspects the fire was started by an accumulation of heat from a rotting pile of grass clippings. They encourage everyone to take their grass clippings to the transfer station, to avoid any unnecessary incidents.