Page 35 - In The Line of Fire 2023.cdr

In The Line of Fire 1960 - 1970

K.G.E. - OCCIDENTAL $600,000 FIRE

March 27, 1961
Kelowna’s second major fire, in less than two weeks,
destroyed Kelowna Growers Exchange No. 15 warehouse
and the Occidental Cold Storage Plant.

The fire began shortly before 10 pm in the apple boxes at the back of the building.
Within 15 minutes there was little left of the structure and the fire
was already advancing to the adjacent cold storage plant.
Flames could be seen from the outskirts of Vernon.

40,000 cases of apple and lime juice, which were carefully stored in
K.G.E. No. 15 and ready for disposal, were destroyed.

FIRE STRIKES OCCIDENTAL AGAIN
August 1, 1961

Another in a series of disastrous packinghouse fires in the city struck
Kelowna at 1:30 am on Aug. 1, 1961 and leveled the premises
of Occidental Fruit Co., 1144 Ellis St.

Chief Pettman, and his 10 regular and 40 volunteer Fire Fighters,
fought to save the engulfed conflagration.

Shortly after the blaze broke out,
a call for a criminal investigation went out to Vancouver.

Tuesday’s inferno caused damage estimated at $350,000.
The only part of the plant not destroyed was the office building.
The remainder was gutted - machinery, tools, fruit packing
equipment and hundreds of tons of tomatoes.

35