Kent Driscoll
Northern News Services

Yellowknife (June 03/05) - Three public works employees spotted and put out a fire on the balcony of 3524 McDonald Drive, before firefighters arrived at the scene.

Firefighter Anthony Barrett (left) and senior firefighter Travis Brehaut finish off the mattress that three public works employees found burning on Wednesday.

"Some quick thinking by the public works guys saved an extreme amount of damage here," said Deputy Fire Chief Darcy Hernblad.

City Public Works foreman Richard Beck was driving down McDonald Drive and was being followed by workers Desmond Reddick and Adam Hynes.

"I noticed some smoke on the balcony. I thought it was just a barbecue, but it looked like too much smoke," said Beck.

They saw that it was a futon mattress on the balcony that was giving off the smoke.

They are unlikely firefighters. Reddick said he's only put out campfires and Hynes is, by his own admission, "afraid of fire."

They got in through the back door, emptied a garbage can and filled it with water.

"We were bumping into each other, frantically, just givin' 'er," said Beck. The three dumped more than 20 buckets of water on the fire until it was completely out.

After the flames died down, they threw the mattress off the deck and kept dousing the patio with water, until the firefighters arrived.

The fire department is investigating the cause of the fire.

"I got the call at work and by the time I got there, the fire trucks were gone," said Jennie Elsdon, who has lived at the house for two months.

"I'd like to take them (the city workers) out for dinner. There's no way to thank someone for putting out a fire in your house," said Elsdon.