Shed blaze and raccoons: Crews tackle many incidents over the long weekend

CITYnews halifax / By Natasha O’Neill

Teams were kept busy over the weekend with multiple incidents needing quick responses from Halifax firefighters.

The first came in at 10:01 a.m. on Saturday for a fire on Brompton Road in Dartmouth. Firefighters from Station 15 arrived and found a blaze spreading to a fence and wooded area in the backyard.

Teams quickly got the shed fire under control and doused the flames that had spread. They also provided first aid to a person who was experiencing a medical emergency at the home, the Halifax Professional Fire Fighters’ union said.

The same morning, crews were called to the Halifax Grain Elevator for reports of smoke.

Once on scene, firefighters found a “deep-seated fire” in a pile of grain dust.

Related:

• Firefighters rescue person from blaze and tackle overturned cement truck
• Council directs staff to create cancer screening program for firefighters
• Vehicle fire in Upper Tantallon could have spread: Firefighters

“Grain elevators pose a unique hazard—fine dust ignites easily and can explode,” the firefighter’s union said in a post on X.

This situation has happened before.

In 2003, an explosion rocked Halifax and engulfed the Halifax Grain Elevator in flames. According to the report by investigators, there was a lack of cleaning and maintenance done throughout the facility.

A firefighter checking for hot spots at the Halifax Grain Elevator. (HPF)

“Findings of heat safety sensors on bearings did not work and have not for several years. In general, it did not appear that maintenance and housekeeping duties were priorities,” the report reads.

Finally, to close out a busy weekend, firefighters from Station 13 found two baby raccoons outside. According to the teams, they were left by the station “cold, wet and alone.”

After contacting Hope for Wildlife, crews took care of the two animals before they were picked up.