A large fire broke out in British Columbia last week. Residents and the fire department quickly dealt with the blaze, but investigators believe an unusual culprit caused it.
Ashcroft Fire Rescue posted news of the bizarre incident in a press release on Facebook. The department dropped a pun-filled retelling of events, saying, “Do you wonder why the power was out in Ashcroft today? There is something fishy about this call, and we definitely suspect fowl play!”
The post reveals that staff responded to a “landscape fire” 6km from the town. Business owners were already tackling the fire when emergency services arrived, and Ashcroft Fire Rescue soaked the nearby area to stop the spread. “With all units combined, roughly 4800 gallons of water was put down into an area roughly 60×90 meters. It’s safe to say that this area has been significantly cooled. All of us are very thankful that wind was not a factor in today’s incident,” officials said.
The Fire Department Revealed The Cause Of The Blaze
After analyzing the area, investigators believe a fish had started the fire, which is odd, considering the nearest river is 3KM away. “The fish had been dropped by a local osprey onto the hydro line, causing embers to drop, along with the fish, to the dry grasses below,” the news release reads. Authorities suggest the bird may have dropped the fish because of it’s size and the heat. “Or another suspicion could be that it’s tired of raw fish and wanted to give cooked a try. We may never know the answer, but it has been verified that our prime suspect sustained no injuries in the incident and is still flying at large.”
Ashcroft Fire Rescue posted the news on July 30, but provided an update on August 1. Staff joked, ” The suspect osprey has been caught and is being held in custody for questioning. The judge has not granted bail as the suspect poses an extreme….flight risk!”
The post garnered more than 100 comments, with many joining in on the light-hearted puns. Others appreciate the humorous response, with one proclaiming it one of those “You really had to be there to believe it” kinds of stories. Another upvoted reply applauds the fire department for the write-up. “Thank you for your quick response and giving us all a giggle,” they said.