One of the various calls Ponoka County East District firefighters responded to during the wind storm that hit central Alberta on Friday, Oct. 25, included a farm equipment fire north of Hwy. 53, just off of the east side of the QEII just after 1 p.m.
Crews extinguished the fire quickly and black smoke could be seen for some distance.
“The wind event put our crews to the test and they were well up for the challenge,” said Dennis Jones, regional fire chief, in a news release Oct. 26.
Other calls, all within a few minutes of each other, included a vehicle accident due to the strong wind. A truck and cargo trailer sustained damage but no injuries were reported.
The East District also dealt with a hazardous materials spill that involved a tire that blew on a transport trailer, causing a hole in the tank containing hot road repair materials.
The department worked with Main Road crews to limit the damage and clean up the site.
Fire services worked with the town’s public works and electric departments to respond to trees and downed power lines within the town’s municipal limits and with Fortis Alberta for similar events in the county.
“We all worked well together as a team to keep the residents safe,” said Jones.
The Ponoka County West District also dealt with calls about downed power lines.
“Our firefighters applied their training and were effective in responding to calls and prioritizing issues during Friday’s busy wind event.”
Ponoka News readers shared photos and videos of the windstorm on our Facebook page on Oct. 25.