THE
Review
www.keremeosreview.com PM Agreement #40012521
Vol.16 Number 29
Thursday, July 17, 2014
Serving the communities of Keremeos, Cawston, Okanagan Falls and Kaleden
$1.15 including GST
A PASSION FOR HISTORY
Hedley researchers are uncovering WW 1 Hedley war heroes See page 5
LAVENDER WEEKEND
Photo by Steve Arstad
Tree to Me hosts a weekend for lavender lovers See page 3
2014 BARBEQUE KING
Keremeos firefighters were greeted by this scene upon their arrival seconds later, early Monday morning, July 14 on Seventh Street. The Keremeos Hotel, containing three businesses, was completely gutted by the fire. Keremeos also called in assistance from the Kaleden and Osoyoos fire departments.
Fire destroys venerable Keremeos hotel Landmark historic building gutted in massive blaze By Steve Arstad news@keremeosreview.com
Busy night at the Grist Mill See page 9, 10
It’s all gone. The Red Bridge Pub, the Keremeos Hotel Liquor Store and the 7th Street Diner were destroyed by fire in Keremeos on Monday morning, July 14. The Keremeos and District Volunteer Fire Department was called to the scene at approximately 8:20 a.m. “I could see a red glow inside the main front door”(of the bar) said Fire Chief Jordy
Bosscha, who arrived on scene initially. He said the fire hadn’t yet breached the building at that point, but it appeared obvious to him that the inside had been involved for some time. He also checked the front door of the 7th Street Diner, in the same building, but found it to be cold at that time. The main body of the fire department arrived on scene within minutes, to find the fire had broken out of the building and was spreading with ferocious speed down the front of the building. Several hose lines, including the department’s engine mounted monitor was brought to bear immediately, but there was no stopping the flames that started rolling out of the
front windows. The initial attack slowed the visible flames along the front of the building but did nothing to quench the inferno burning inside. Mutual aid was called immediately, with fire crews arriving from Kaleden and Osoyoos. Together they battled the flames for nearly four hours, but in spite of their efforts, the building was completely gutted. The fire emitted huge plumes of acrid, grey and black smoke for several hours, at times blanketing parts of the village and making breathing difficult. An excavator was brought in around mid-morning to take walls down and allow continued on page 3