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Cranbrook, BC (October 18, 2024) – A house fire was reported just after 1:30 this morning in Cranbrook’s downtown core, resulting in the tragic loss of one life.

Emergency Services arrived on the scene to find a single-family dwelling engulfed in flames. Firefighters worked diligently to contain the blaze and perform search and rescue operations. Two residents escaped the home and were treated and released on site. Tragically, a third individual succumbed to their injuries despite the best efforts of responders.

The fire caused damage to the houses on either side, but thanks to the quick response of RCMP and fire crews, all the occupants were evacuated safely.

Emergency crews will be on scene well into the day Friday to conduct overhaul operations. Traffic in the area will be disrupted while crews are on scene.

The RCMP and the Fire Commissioner’s Office will be working closely with the Fire Department to determine the cause of this tragic fire.

“Our hearts go out to the families affected by this tragedy,” said Scott Driver, Director of Cranbrook Fire & Emergency Services. “We urge the community to take this terrible incident as a reminder of the importance of smoke alarms and we urge everyone to ensure they have working smoke alarms in their home.”