Firefighter ends up in hospital
Doug Ashbury
Northern News Services
Yellowknife (Nov 03/00) - A firefighter was taken to Stanton Regional Hospital Wednesday night after a trailer fire in Northlands Trailer Court.
Peter Boomhouwer, a volunteer with the fire department, was among 16 firefighters who responded to a call at 256 Fairchild Crescent in Northlands Wednesday at 7:45 p.m.
Boomhouwer suffered smoke inhalation and was taken to hospital for medical treatment and admitted for observation, Fire Chief Mick Beauchamp said.
The lone occupant of the trailer was not injured, the fire chief adds. The brown trailer is located at the corner Fairchild Crescent and Norseman Drive, just north of Franklin Avenue and a stone's throw from the firehall.
"When they (firefighters) arrived on scene, they found an older trailer with fire and smoke coming from the crawlspace under the trailer," Beauchamp said.
"One crew went under, another crew entered the trailer," he said. Once inside, the crew found the fire had extended to the rear bedroom area.
It took about one hour to "dig out the hot spots."
Beauchamp said the fire was started accidentally when the occupant, using a torch, attempted to fix a water line under the trailer.
Trailer damage is estimated at $30,000 while contents loss is estimated at $10,000.
"A Red Cross team was deployed to assist the lone occupant," Beauchamp said.
