Firefighters from the Kam-Est Fire Department battled a major fire at around 5:20 a.m. this morning in a residential building on Rang St-Ernest in Saint-Alexandre-de-Kamouraska.
According to the director of SSI Kam-Est, Robin Laplante, the cause of the fire was electrical in nature. “It was a Hydro-Québec power pole that broke. The wire fell on the roof covering the gallery and contact occurred. The flames, the embers, immediately penetrated the so-called soffit and then spread into the attic,” says the last person.
Three hours later the fire was contained and under control. A mechanical excavator was used to demolish a brick chimney deemed hazardous and two walls to allow firefighters access to the home’s interior.
Strong gusts of wind posed a major challenge during the operation. Debris from the house was found even further away on the property.
When the fire broke out, the owners were on their farm behind the house. They weren’t hurt.
Firefighters from the Kam-Est Fire Protection Service, which includes the Saint-Alexandre, Saint-André and Saint-Joseph-de-Kamouraska fire stations, were called to respond. Two pump trucks, three tank trucks, a ladder truck and two emergency units were in use. Another tanker truck from the Saint-Antonin fire department was also called to help.