Kirsten Larsen
Northern News Services

NNSL (Mar 01/99) - The Yellowknife Fire Department went on full alert Thursday night when a trailer at 5039 Forrest Drive went up in flames.

During an attempt to enter the structure, a volunteer firefighter received first and second degree burns to his neck and ears, as well as to the side of his face.

"He forgot to put on a very important piece of equipment...it protects the neck ears and forehead," said fire Chief Mike Beauchamp. "Fortunately it is not serious."

Another firefighter was more mildly injured, receiving first and second- degree burns under his chin.

The volunteer firefighter was treated at Stanton Regional Hospital and released while the other was attended to by medics at the scene.

The occupants of the trailer were not home at the time of the blaze, which started inside and spread rapidly throughout. The interior was fully engulfed by the time the fire department responded to the call, which came at approximately 8:40 p.m. from a witness who saw smoke billowing from the structure.

The five-person duty crew that responded to the call immediately called for back-up when they arrived on scene. They made two attempts to enter the structure to try to douse the fire from the inside but the heat was too intense.

Back-up arrived to assist the duty crew just under 10 minutes after the first attempt to enter the structure was made. With the extra firefighters and hoses hooked up, an internal attack was successful and the fire was brought under control within half an hour.

The structure was extensively burned and damage is estimated at $160,000. Approximately $60,000 worth of contents were destroyed.