Flooded basements seize firefighters' attention

By Kirk Starratt

kstarratt@kentvilleadvertiser.ca

NovaNewsNow.com

Local fire departments dealt with a number of flood situations in basements as the result of heavy rain and resulting snowmelt Wednesday, Feb. 13 and into the early morning hours of Thursday, Feb. 14.

Wolfville Fire Chief Tim MacLeod said his department was called to a possible structure fire on Prospect Street Thursday morning, at 6:40 a.m. He said it turned out to be flooding in a basement that caused a problem with a furnace, resulting in smoky conditions.

New Minas Fire Chief James Redmond said his department responded to two calls about flooded basements Feb. 13. However, he said the situations were not serious.

Kentville Fire Chief Shawn Ripley said his department responded to a total of eight calls in a 24-hour period related to the snow and rainstorm mid week, four of which involved flooded basements.

New Minas firefighters responded to a call about gas leaking from a vehicle in the Pizza Delight parking lot Saturday, Feb. 9.

New Minas responded to a medical emergency in the Park Wood trailer park Sunday, Feb. 10.

New Minas firefighters responded to two calls about downed power lines Feb. 10, when a significant snowfall hit the region. One incident was on Clover Leaf Drive and the other on Canaan Mountain.

New Minas responded to a car fire in a garage that resulted in the car being written off and significant smoke damage and some fire damage to the garage Tuesday, Feb. 12.

The firefighters responded to a car fire on Homco Drive Feb. 14. Redmond said the car was a write-off.

Kentville responded in mutual aid to Waterville Feb. 10, as that department was battling a garage fire on Prospect Mountain.

Kentville firefighters responded to a fire alarm sounding at a barn in Centreville the night of Feb. 13. Ripley said it turned out to be a false alarm.

Kentville responded to a motor vehicle collision in Coldbrook involving a car and tractor-trailer Feb. 14. Ripley said the driver of the car apparently attempted a u-turn only to have the front of the car ran over by the tractor-trailer. There were minor injuries involved.

Kentville responded to a motor vehicle collision at Highway 101 Exit 14 in Coldbrook Friday morning, Feb. 15. Ripley said two cars sideswiped each other in the incident, which resulted in minor injuries.

Greenwich firefighters responded to two motor vehicle collisions last week. Chief Randy Schofield said the first was a single-vehicle crash on the White Rock bridge. There were no injuries but the female driver, who was pregnant, was transported to hospital as a precautionary measure.

The second incident was a hit-and-run midweek involving two vehicles on the Deep Hollow Road. Schofield said the RCMP is investigating.

Wolfville responded in mutual aid to the vehicle collision on Deep Hollow Road Feb. 13 at around 5:30 p.m.

Canning firefighters responded to two calls for medical assistance last week, the first on Lower Canard Street in Lower Canard on Saturday afternoon, Feb. 9 and the second on Cavelle Avenue, Canning, that evening.

Canning responded to a chimney fire on Chapel Road, Canning, the afternoon of Feb. 13.