Ponoka slaughterhouse destroyed by fire
A Ponoka meat business suffered a devastating loss over the weekend as its slaughterhouse was destroyed by fire.
Ponoka County Regional Fire Chief Dennis Jones says crews were dispatched the slaughterhouse belonging to Family Meats Ltd., located on 67 Street in Ponoka, shortly before 9 p.m. Sunday.
“Heavy smoke was observed coming from the vents, and firefighting efforts were difficult because it was an older building that had been added onto and renovated multiple times,” Jones says. “There were multiple ceilings, multiple partitions, and the fuel level was fairly high with the type of product they had in there.”
Jones says 17 firefighters battled the blaze through the night. Crews were on scene until around 6 a.m., and returned later Monday to put out hot spots. The cause of the fire remains unknown, but RCMP says it has been deemed non-suspicious.