Madison Erhardt
UPDATE 9:06 am 06
The RCMP and Fire Department have now cleared the Harvey Avenue scene and all northbound lanes on Harvey Ave are now open.
UPDATE 8:58 a.m. 58
Kelowna RCMP responded to a building near the intersection of Harvey Avenue and Gordon Drive this morning.
The big police action began just before 6 a.m. Thursday after asking RCMP to help the fire department that responded to a fire in a building on the 1000 block of Harvey Avenue.
Firefighters reported a desperate man who was injured and barricaded himself in a unit.
The area is cordoned off so that first responders can safely handle the situation. Harvey Ave will be closed between Ethel and Gordon starting at 9 a.m. Thursday morning.
The police are asking the population to stay away from the area and use alternative routes for car and pedestrian traffic. It is not known how long these bans will remain in effect.
The building’s residents have been evacuated and the City of Kelowna has provided buses to provide temporary accommodation.
RCMP tells Castanet, “This is an emerging situation and the details are minimal. Further information will be provided when appropriate.”
UPDATE: 7:30 am
An incident in which the Harvey Avenue lanes near Gordon Drive in Kelowna were closed to the north appears to be an apartment fire.
Local residents say there is a burning smell in the neighborhood and some smoke in an alley next to the building.
They say firefighters have set up a ladder against the building and are using a fire hose to spray the side of the building.
UPDATE: 7:15 am
Police have closed the lanes north of Harvey Avenue as several first responders are on the scene of an incident in Kelowna.
The police, fire department, and paramedics are all on site near Gordon Drive intersection.
Witnesses report that traffic is being diverted to the southbound lanes.
The nature of the incident is not yet known.
ORIGINAL: 6:55 a.m.
A large police presence is reported on Harvey Avenue in Kelowna.
Motorists report several police units, fire engines and ambulances on the freeway near the Gordon Drive intersection.
The first responders are in the northbound lanes.
The nature of the incident that led to the response is not yet known.
Castanet will be updated with more details as they become available.
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