NORTH BATTLEFORD - Update Oct. 16, 10 a.m.: Investigators with the North Battleford Fire Department (NBFD) and the Saskatchewan Public Safety Agency have ruled the cause of the October 14th fire at the Best Canadian Motor Inn as undetermined.
The findings were released Wednesday, following an exhaustive search of the property, the city said in its release.
The fire, which broke out just before 10 p.m. on Monday, had engulfed three of the motel rooms prior to the arrival of the NBFD.
Upon arrival, NBFD crews and Battlefords RCMP members evacuated the remainder of the motel’s rooms. Of the 50 rooms, 40 were noted as occupied, according to motel records.
Following Tuesday’s secondary search of the structure, fire officials determined there were no fatalities or major injuries sustained as a result of the fire. One case of smoke inhalation was reported and the individual was treated at the scene by WPD Ambulance.
In addition to the North Battleford Fire Department, crews were dispatched from the RM of North Battleford and Town of Battleford fire departments. In total, approximately 32 firefighters attended to help contain the fire, where suppression efforts were impacted by high wind gusts.
People who were displaced by the fire may contact the Red Cross for assistance by calling their toll-free line at 1-888-800-6493.
Original post Oct. 15, 12:47 a.m: Many fire crews, including the North Battleford Fire Department, RM of North Battleford Fire Department, and Town of Battleford Fire Department, responded to a significant structure fire at a commercial property on the Highway 16 Bypass late Monday night.
The building sustained severe damage and is now considered a total loss.
The fire occurred at the Best Canadian Motor Inn motel in North Battleford.
There are no reported serious injuries; only minor injuries have been documented among the evacuated persons and first responders.
Firefighters were dispatched just before 10 p.m. on Oct. 14, as flames engulfed a main transmission line pole, causing widespread power outages in the area.
Upon arrival at the scene, firefighters found a portion of the structure fully involved in flames, with wind gusts of up to 47 km/h creating challenging conditions for firefighting efforts. RCMP, Community Safety Officers, and WPD Ambulance were on-site, too, along with local heavy equipment operators to assist with the response.
Residents throughout North Battleford experienced a power outage of approximately two hours after the electrical housing for the main transmission line caught fire. SaskPower crews attended to restore the power late Monday night.
Fire crews remained on-site until approximately 5 a.m. the next morning to ensure the fire was fully contained. The RCMP assisted with the evacuation of nearby properties for safety.
The cause of the fire is still under investigation.
- With files from Cleo Ding
