A private childcare centre on the grounds of Brent Kennedy Elementary School in South Slocan is closed after a fire severely damaged the facility.
The fire broke out in the kitchen area of the Brent Kennedy Learning Centre (BKLC) about 10 minutes before the centre's 5 p.m. closing time on Monday, April 7.
Thankfully, only three children remained inside the building at the time, and staff were able to quickly move them to safety without any harm, according to BKLC's administrator Susie Myers.
Myers said a parent grabbed a fire extinguisher and tried to quickly douse the flames, but failed. Meanwhile, the centre's operations manager, who lives nearby, heard about the fire, grabbed a larger fire extinguisher and rushed to the site and into the burning building. He successfully extinguished the fire.
"The fire department said that had he not been successful, the whole building would have been gone," said Myers.
Three adults, including Myers, were treated in hospital for smoke inhalation.
"I entered the building to do a sweep of the building," said Myers. "I was told everyone was out, but I had to see with my own eyes that everyone was out."
"A lot of people were very brave and the staff did a wonderful job."
Myers says they are grateful the building is still standing, but there is a lot of work that needs to be done before the centre can re-open.
The work includes some structural and roof repairs as well as remediating smoke damage. A restoration company is already in place as are plans to get the work done as quickly as possible.
The worst damage occurred in the half of the building that supports three to five-year-olds, so work will focus on getting the less-damaged infant and toddler area open first while the remaining work is completed in the other area.
There are 36 licensed childcare spaces in the damaged building. The Learning Centre's two other buildings at the site, which include almost 50 childcare spaces, remain open and operational.
In the meantime, BKLC is working on a partnership with School District 8 that would allow for the opening up of some childcare spaces at a different location. In addition, some children have been offered spaces at the Sunningdale Childcare Centre in Trail.
In spite of the circumstances, Myers is working hard to get things back to normal as quickly as possible.
"I have created childcare spaces in our communities a lot, so I know it like the back of my hand," said Myers. "At 6 a.m. this morning, I was in my pyjamas placing an order for $10,000 of childcare equipment."
BKLC had fire insurance in place and Myers says the company has been great to work with so far.
She also praises the work and support of the Crescent Valley Fire Department and SD8.
