by EVAN MATTHEWS
Valemount isn’t far removed from tragic fires in recent memory, and the Valemount and District Volunteer Fire Department is giving due credit to a local man for being alert and taking action.
Corey Bergen pulled into his driveway last Saturday evening and happened to look out his vehicle’s window.
“There were flames shooting out of my neighbour’s chimney,” says Bergen. “I had never seen that before.”
He ran to his neighbour’s house, and texted Ray Mikolash, a member of the Valemount Fire Department.
Mikolash told Bergen if you throw a cup of water into the stove, the water expands to become steam and should choke out the flames.
“There were flames shooting out of my neighbour’s chimney. I had never seen that before,” — Corey Bergen
Bergen’s neighbour answered the door.
“I told her what was going on and asked her for a glass of water. I actually had to do it twice,” says Bergen.
By the time the fire department showed up five minutes later the fire was out, Bergen says.
“When I talked to Ray on the phone, he said, ‘I’m running out the door. I’m on my way to the fire department,’” says Bergen.
“It was Kurt Smith and Dean Schneider on the truck. I’m sure all of them were at home, but as soon as they get that call they drop whatever they’re doing and off they go,” he says.
Though Bergen’s neighbour will likely need to clean the chimney, the fire department checked the attic and didn’t note serious damage, and most importantly, no one was injured.
