To the Editor,
On Feb. 16, I noticed smoke billowing from a fire on Northfield Road near Bowen Road.
Fortunately the fire department was on scene so calling 911 was unnecessary, but one still feels sorry for the victims of such a tragedy. The smoke from this fire persisted for hours.
It was not until later I discovered the fire was no tragedy. It had been deliberately set as a training event for the fire department.
Why was such a training session conducted in a populated area? Is smoke from a deliberately set fire less toxic than smoke from burning the same homebuilding products accidently?
Does the fire department really think those with respiratory issues would be unaffected because it was ‘training’ smoke?
It looks like someone didn’t think at all.
S. I. Petersen
Nanaimo