Penticton Fire Destroys Care Site, Triggers State Of Emergency
Penticton declared a state of emergency after a Wednesday night fire destroyed a three-storey long-term care facility under construction at the former David Kampe estate off Green Avenue. The blaze broke out around 10:12 p.m. and sent more than 60 firefighters to the scene.
Fire Chief Mike Larsson said the building was fully involved when crews arrived. He said the project covered about 46,000 square feet and was expected to open in 2028.
Green Avenue And Highway 97
The fire also destroyed a large construction crane tied to the project. Larsson said the crane created major safety concerns and kept crews from reaching the entire property until experts can assess the damage.
Residents from four houses near the fire and another 12 properties were evacuated because of the blaze and crane concerns. Larsson said one house suffered significant fire damage and a few others had water damage. Embers flew as far as three blocks away, and six small fires were reported and quickly extinguished.
Mike Larsson On The Scene
Larsson said crews focused first on the properties beside the site. “Our first priority were actually the structures beside it (construction site),” he said at a Thursday morning press conference near the scene. He also said, “There were a few houses that were lighting on fire or were impinged by fire and that’s where we put our efforts.”
Fire crews battled the main fire until close to 3 a.m. and remained on scene afterward putting out hot spots. Larsson said the investigation into the cause was in its early stages and added, “There’s no indication at this time” that the fire was suspicious in nature. “We haven’t ruled anything out, but it is under investigation at this time,” he said.
David Kampe Estate Damage
Larsson said the damaged crane was one of the biggest obstacles for crews. “As the fire went on, one of our greatest concerns was the crane,” he said. “It has some structural integrity issues, so that poses a lot of challenges, a lot of dangers, a lot of problems.” He also said Highway 97 still remained closed at the time of his Thursday morning briefing.
The road closure and evacuation zone left part of the area restricted while crews waited for the next safety assessment. For nearby residents and drivers, access to the site remained limited as firefighters kept watch over the damaged structure and crane.
