Evacuated residents can now return to the West Kelowna residential building
Lifestyle

Evacuated residents can now return to the West Kelowna residential constructing

By

(UPDATE: April 20 @ 5:25 am): Residents can now return to their West Kelowna home after firefighters and a dangerous goods team have been called in to investigate a mysterious odor.

The “Do Not Occupy” ordinance on the evacuated building on Elliott Road has now been repealed, said the West Kelowna Fire Department (WKFD).

The residents were evacuated early Sunday morning.

<who> Photo credit: NowMedia “src =” https://www.kelownanow.com/files/files/images/00178_00_01_03_18_Still003.jpeg “style =” margin: 5px; “/></p> <p>“The building owner has given a satisfactory assurance from a qualified environmental professional in accordance with the city regulations,” added WKFD.</p> <p>“The report states that once they have been inspected and monitored, the building will be safe to live in. This meets the requirements of the City of West Kelowna Bylaw and assures us and the public that they can return safely.”</p> <p>No cause has yet been found for the smell that led to the evacuation.</p> <p><strong>(UPDATE: April 18th at 4pm): </strong>The West Kelowna Fire Department and HazMat team continue to search for the source of the mysterious smell in an apartment in West Kelowna. </p> <p>According to WKFR, the crews were unable to find the source despite raising concerns in various areas of the building. The building has been classified as unsafe under the City of West Kelowna’s Safe Premises Ordinance and a “Do Not Occupy” order has been issued. </p> <p>This building consists of rental units. Nobody is allowed to inhabit the building until it has been secured by the owner with the help of qualified professionals. </p> <p>“Residents of the building are instructed to register with the ESS at the Royal LePage Arena on Cameron Road in West Kelowna before 10pm tonight. The reception center will open again tomorrow at 9 a.m. “</p> <p>“You will receive 72 hours of ESS support in the form of accommodation, meal vouchers and ancillary costs. The owner of the property will make arrangements for the tenants after this period.”</p> <p>The crews will remain on site until late in the evening to assist the evacuees by removing important and critical items from the building. This includes medication, ID cards, keys and more that can be obtained from the ESS collection point. </p> <p>NowMedia will update the story when more information becomes available. </p> <p><strong>(UPDATE: April 18th at 10:50 am): </strong>Firefighters and the HazMat team continue to investigate the cause of a mysterious odor in a West Kelowna apartment building. </p> <p>The 150 residents remain evacuated from 10:50 a.m. </p> <p>The building was swept and all suites were visually inspected. Nothing has been found up to this point. </p> <p>“While some clues have been received, none have been strong or persistent enough to identify the exact nature or cause.”</p> <p>“The continued patience of the public and residents of the building will be appreciated as we work to locate the problem and get them back to their homes as soon as it is safe to do so.”</p> <p>The next update is scheduled for 3:00 p.m. </p> <p><strong>(Original story: April 18 at 8 a.m.): </strong>The West Kelowna Fire Department had a tricky situation this morning when they received reports of a strange smell coming from an apartment building on Elliott Road. </p> <p>According to fire chief Jason Brolund, the emergency services were called to the large building shortly before 4 a.m. The first members to arrive evacuated 150 residents and pets as they set out to investigate the cause of the odor. </p> <p>Help was sought from the Kelowna Fire Department’s regional HazMat team. </p> <p><img alt= Photo credit: 123rf “src =” https://www.kelownanow.com/files/files/images/HazMAt%20850.jpg “style =” margin: 5px; “/>

As of this writing, the problem has not been located and is still being investigated.

“The regional emergency support team has been activated and a reception / warm-up center is being set up for residents in the Arena Royal LePage Place,” said Brolund. “Buses will take you there in the next hour.”

Residents with their own means of transport are asked to register after 6:30 a.m. at the reception center of the Royal LePage Arena. Current information on the situation will be provided shortly.

Support local journalism by clicking here to make a one-time contribution or sign up for a small monthly fee. We appreciate your consideration and every contribution you can make.

0 posts 0 comments
You might also like More from author

Comments are closed.