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Victoria fire department tower to get shortened, upgraded

Structure identified as potential hazard risk in event of earthquake
Fire Hall #1 Training Tower
The training tower behind Victoria's No. 1 fire hall on Yates Street is undergoing renovations to earthquake-proof the structure.

It may look as if a low-flying aircraft hit it on the way into the Inner Harbour.

But taking a little off the top of the Victoria Fire Department tower at the No. 1 hall on Yates Street is being done by design.

The roughly 20-metre tower has been used primarily for drying hoses the past two years and before that, for ladder truck training. It had been identified by city engineers as a potential hazard risk in the event of an earthquake.

"(The plan calls for) reducing the overall height to 46 feet (14 metres) and seismically upgrading the remainder, (so that) it wouldn't fall on someone or vehicles," Dep. Fire Chief Paul Bruce said.

The tower project is expected to be complete within two to three weeks. The department built a new tower  in 2008 beside the No. 3 hall on Bay Street.

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