1974 Helen Verigin interviews Mrs. Cecil (Polly) Kanigan

(Polly Kanigan was 7 years old at the time of the Arms Burning).

. . . At one time we lived at Porcupine near Porto Rico and Hall. Others lived there too, it’s just past Nelson towards Salmo. The other families that lived there were John Hadikin, Poznikoffs, Shustoff, Faminoffs, Alex Babakaiff, Chernoff Sam, John Strelioff, John Verigin, Joe Shukin, Pete Reibin and Zmaeffs,

There was a big saw mill there, that’s why we lived there. Alex Makortoff was the spark chaser but was not sharp enough to detect where it was smouldering. The workmen did not take into consideration the hot dry summer and tinder dry woods and take to their heels when the first alarm sounded. It happened so fast. Didn’t let the horses go till too late. Some horses got through but they would lie down and just burst open. There were men that were burned and died and some reached our place and stayed overnight. The whole night through I was washing their eyes out because they were full of ashes and they said they were the first to run down the flume. Philipoff’s shirt was not even burned off but the skin seemed to be baked and we would dilute canned milk and give them to sip.

In the morning the train came and took them to Nelson.

Terror like that fire is hard to think about.

Lord protect us from it.