North Battleford loses power Monday night after motel fire spreads to main power line

A motel in North Battleford went up in flames on Monday night.

In a Facebook post early Tuesday morning, the City of North Battleford said its fire department was called to the commercial fire on the Highway 16 Bypass just before 10 p.m. Monday.

According to the city, the fire also engulfed a main transmission line, causing a power outage in North Battleford.

In a news release just before noon on Tuesday, a spokesperson for the city said a SaskPower crew was able to restore power about two hours after the outage.

Fire crews from Battleford, North Battleford, the RM of North Battleford, local RCMP, paramedics and heavy equipment operators all responded to the blaze.

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The structure was fully involved when crews arrived, the city said, and wind gusts of up to 47 kilometres per hour made for difficult firefighting conditions.

Firefighters and RCMP evacuated the building and so far there have only been minor injuries reported among the evacuees and first responders. Crews were on scene until about 5 a.m., the city says.

The North Battleford Fire Department is expected to conduct a secondary search of the building on Tuesday afternoon.

Based on videos shared in public Facebook groups, it’s believed the fire occurred at the Best Canadian Motor Inn. The city says the building sustained severe damage and is considered a total loss.

The cause of the blaze is not yet known. An investigation into its cause and origin is underway.

More details to come.