Radio charger power supply cited as fire source

The chief of the Whitehorse Fire Department has released the cause of the last Sunday’s $300,000 fire at the Elijah Smith Building.

The chief of the Whitehorse Fire Department has released the cause of the last Sunday’s $300,000 fire at the Elijah Smith Building.

“After a thorough investigation, we have concluded that the July 1st fire originated in the power supply for a multi-bay portable radio charger,” said Chief Clive Sparks said Wednesday.

The blaze originated in the office of the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA), on the main floor of the building at around 9:15 p.m.

It took firefighters about 10 minutes to put out the flames and another two hours to clear smoke from the building, assist with cleanup, and perform a preliminary investigation into the cause of the fire.

Sparks has asked the CBSA to conduct a review of all similar equipment to ensure it is all functioning properly.

An independent product safety testing certification agency, Underwriters Laboratories of Canada, has also been contacted to study the fire and see if more follow-up is required, Sparks said.

Questions for the CBSA about the age and quality of the equipment were not answered in time for today’s press deadline.

Aside from the CBSA office, water also entered areas occupied by Services Canada and Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development Canada, Derek Wolff, a spokesperson for Public Works and Government Services Canada, said Wednesday.

Offices for building management, SNC Lavalin, were also impacted.

The clean-up began shortly after the fire, and most tenants, with the exception of CBSA staff, were able to resume working in the building Tuesday, Wolffe said.

Meanwhile, the CBSA front counter office in the downtown building is closed until further notice. 

The public can obtain services from the CBSA office at the Erik Nielsen Whitehorse International Airport during regular office hours: Monday to Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. 

The public can also reach the CBSA Office in the Whitehorse airport by phone at 667-3296 or contact the Border Information Service telephone line at 1-800-461-9999 within Canada.