A close call for a Trail church.
Kootenay Boundary Fire and Rescue says it responded early Saturday to the St. Andrew’s Anglican Church at 1347 Pine Avenue after the fire alarm went off.
Smoke was discovered coming from the back stairwell. Smoke filled the building, but firefighters say early detection and quick response prevented serious damage.
“Things are looking better,” church warden Jay Friesen said Tuesday. “We’ve done a full walk through and assessment. We’ve had to push a great deal of air through the building to eliminate not just the smoke but the lingering smell from top to bottom.”
Friesen said they believe someone started the fire accidentally. The back door will have to be replaced, but otherwise it is just a matter of airing the building out.
On Sunday, the church held its service outdoors.
“We’ve often talked about it and Anglicans have a tendency to appreciate the natural world, so we took as a great opportunity to set up outside,” Friesen said.
Coincidentally, they are scheduled to join the United Church across the street this Sunday, which will give them more time to eliminate the smell.
Friesen said they feel very fortunate that the fire didn’t do more damage as it could have easily spread. While the church’s brick and stone construction helps, he said add-ons and other materials could have caught alight.
The church was built in 1955.
