Toxic 'accidental' fire in Radium Hot Springs under investigation

The province is investigating a fire in the East Kootenayvillage ofRadium Hot Springsthat burned for five days, releasingtoxic smoke and forcingresidents from their homes.

The fire started, Feb. 22, in a largedebris pile left behind when a hotel owned by the Radium Resort company wasdemolished last year.

RadiumResortmanaging directorGary Goetsch says workers accidentally ignited the pile.

"These are difficult fires to extinguish, but I really believe wedid everything we could that was prudent to expedite it and get it out as quickly as possible," saidGoetsch.

Local New Democrat MLA Norm Macdonald said residents have beencomplainingabout the debrispile for a whileand that hebrought those complaints tothe government a year ago.

Macdonald says theMinistry of Environment did little to address the problem due tounderstaffingand only took real actiononce the pile started burning.

"During that time there was toxic smoke that entered the valley's air shed," Macdonald told CBC News. "People were forced to leave their homes, and it was all from debris that shouldn't have been there in the first place."

Radium Resort was issued a warning letter from the Ministry of Environmentabout "unauthorizeddischarge of demolition waste" on Dec. 17, 2015.

The letter advises the company about using an "authorized solid wastedisposal facility" and asks for notification of "corrective measures" within 30 days.

Radium Hot Springs fire Chief Dave Dixon told CBC News that the village fire department was never called to the fire.

"It was a smoke management issue," said Dixon. "It was up to the land owner to put it out. We had no official involvement."

Earlier this weekEnvironment Minister Mary Polak told the B.C. Legislature that the conservation officer service was investigating,and staff was taking the matter "very seriously".

Macdonald says the Alberta-based company that ownsRadium Resort should be held accountable.