Officials with CN Rail have taken responsibility for a large grassfire that lit up the Tk’emlups Indian Reserve and have agreed to pay overtime costs for the firefighters who battled the blaze.
Railway spokeswoman Kelli Svendsen said Tuesday a carbon buildup in a yard engine caused the flames that sparked the July 20 fire.
“The incident is isolated. It’s a rare occurrence,” she said.
As a result, CN will pay a $5,000 bill to Fire and Rescue. Deputy chief Jim Bell said the amount pays for the additional manpower needed to fight the blaze and staff fire stations during the emergency.
“You have to call in extra firefighters while the fire is going on to fight the blaze and backfill the halls so, if there is another emergency, there is another crew ready to go,” said Bell.
Firefighters were required to monitor the fire and put out hot spots for several hours after the flames were extinguished. He said two firefighters patrolled the area that night and into the following day.
Bell said he’s pleased the situation has been resolved, adding the resolution worked out well for everyone.
He said the Tk’emlups Indian Band met with representatives from the railway on Monday to discuss concerns about switching and overgrown grass and weeds along the track.
Svendsen would not go into detail about that meeting other than saying the outcome was positive. Tk’emlups Chief Shane Gottfriedson said CN promised to address the band’s concerns.
“It was a positive meeting,” he said.
A fire investigator concluded last week that flames from a CN engine sparked the grassfire. Black smoke began rising above Kootenay Way shortly after 9 p.m. on July 20. It wasn't long before flames lit up the night sky.
The fire set alight hundreds of metres of fencing and stretched into residents' yards. Svendsen said CN will honour any legitimate claim for damages.
She said the railway is also looking at ways to prevent a repeat incident.
