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Possessions, cats casualties of Tlell fire

A Tlell resident lost two cats and most of her possessions in a fire on the Bitterlich property Saturday night (Dec. 1), says Tlell fire chief Mike Richardson.Mr. Richardson said the Tlell firefighters were called out to the blaze around 8:15 pm and were on site until after 1 am. Conditions were extremely dry and cold with a northeast wind which spread the fire quickly, he said.The firefighters made sure the flames didn't spread to any other buildings on the property, Mr. Richardson said."It was a stubborn fire to put out," he said. "It was so dry that night."By the end of the night, the nine volunteer firefighters were wet and very cold, he said. The cabin, a small wooden building approximately 24 feet by 24 feet, was gutted."It's severely damaged," he said. "She's lost most of her possessions. It's pretty devastating for her."Mr. Richardson said it appears the fire was started when a spark from the chimney landed on the cabin's shake roof, and was fanned by the dry northeast wind. This is not the same thing as a chimney fire, he said, which occurs inside the chimney due to creosote buildup.The cabin's resident, Linda Amo, phoned the Queen Charlotte RCMP in her panic when she first noticed the fire rather than the Tlell fire department, Mr. Richardson said. However, the police quickly phoned the firefighters. He said it's a good reminder to Tlell residents that they can get stickers for their telephones at the post office with the Tlell fire number printed on them (the fire number is 557-4276).Mr. Richardson said he would also like to remind Tlell residents that the fire department could use more volunteers, especially volunteers who are available during the day.