The Estevan Fire Rescue Service had to tend to a smoke-related call, a carbon monoxide alarm and a hay bale fire during the past week.
Firefighters were called to a smoke-related call July 21. Crews arrived on scene to find that there was a burn occurring on a commercial property just outside of the city limits. The business owner arrived on scene, ensured the burn was under control, and the scene was turned over to the owner.
The fire department’s next call was a carbon monoxide alarm Friday afternoon at a single-family dwelling in southwest Estevan. Firefighters were joined by SaskEnergy crews for the call.
Family members had already safely evacuated the home and were waiting for the fire department’s arrival.
A couple detection devices were going off, and it was believed that very little exposure had occurred.
“When crews did arrive and make entry into the home, they cleared all three levels, the basement and the two storeys above grade, and found there was no cause for alarm at that time with our gas detection equipment.”
The homeowners have a natural gas hot water boiler and barbecue and occasionally they can smell natural gas in the home.
Feser believes the alarm was caused by outdated gas detection equipment and a failing battery.
The homeowners did the right thing by exiting the home and calling 911 due to the alarm, he said.
Their most recent call came Sunday afternoon for a hay bale fire. It was on the 702 grid road west of Highway 47 in the rural municipality of Benson.
“A farmer had been baling some material and was driving some place, and must have noted that the bale was on fire, ejected it from the baling device and then continued on his way.”
Another motorist who was driving down the grid road saw the bale and called it in. The bale was still on the road, posing a significant hazard to anyone driving on the road.
“Someone could have very well hit this bale as well when it’s sitting right on the road,” said Feser.
The person carrying the bale should have called it in right away after noticing the fire.
Crews spent time tearing apart the bale and extinguishing it, and then moving it a safe distance from the road after the material had cooled down.
