Jasper firefighters responded to a structure fire at Bear Hill Lodge just before 5 a.m. on Saturday, November 5.

The fire was called in at 4:56 a.m.; firefighters arrived on scene at 5:35 a.m., according to Jasperite Alissa Stack, who witnessed the incident.

“The crackling sound woke my husband up,” Stack said. “Our whole room was lit up orange.”

Stack lives on Aspen Crescent, adjacent to the Bonhomme Street resort.

After noticing the fire the Stacks phoned 911 but fire trucks had already been dispatched.

“Upon arrival on site one cabin was fully involved and the fire had extended to a second cabin through the roof,” a press release from Jasper’s Emergency Services Department said. 

The Jasper Fire Department responded with the Command Unit, Aerial and Engine trucks. Crews were able to extinguish the fires in both cabins, which were unoccupied; no injuries to civilians or firefighters were sustained.

The affected building was a duplex-style cabin, built in 2016 and able to accommodate up to eight guests.

Michal Onderco, operations manager at Bear Hill Lodge, said the resort was closed at the time of the fire. He praised local firefighters for their quick response and thanked neighbours who called the fire in.

“We definitely want to thank everyone who participated,” Onderco said. “We look forward to bringing those buildings back.”

The following day, on Sunday, November 6, Jasper fire fighters responded to a second structure fire at a garage on Turret Street.

Crews were able to extinguish the fire in a timely manner, preventing the fire to spread to the nearby house, the MOJ’s statement said.

The cause of both fires are under investigation.

Bob Covey // bob@thejasperlocal.com