Rural firefighters help community put out weekend blaze

May 22, 2018, Brandon, Man. – Rural firefighters in communities surrounding Brandon, Man., chipped in to help stop a weekend blaze that destroyed three buildings and damaged an apartment building in the city’s downtown.

Souris (SOO-riss) Glenwood volunteer fire chief Brian Parham says he was working on a farm 45 kilometres away and could see the smoke from the blaze filling the prairie sky. His department, along with firefighters from Wawanesa, Carberry and Canadian Forces Base Shilo helped fight the flames.

Usually, Parham said his department responds to highway crashes, and they’re also trained for farm and river rescues. No one was hurt in the fire, but a 58-unit apartment building was seriously damaged.