'We were met by a wall of smoke': Owners of burned Hedley, B.C., restaurant still recovering

On Oct. 22, Trisha Mills and her partner Bill Carmichael had no choice but to jump from the second storey roof of their Hedley B.C. restaurant as it went up in flames.

"You're not really thinking about a whole lot other than how do I get out of here?" Mills told Radio West  host Sarah Penton.

Only recently was the couple released from hospital and they're both still recovering from their injuries sustained when they jumped from the roof. The cause of the fire has not been determined.

The Hitching Post Restaurant was one of the first permanent buildings in Hedley, about a one-hour drive west of Penticton. The building opened in 1903 and served various purposes before it became a restaurant in the 70s.

Mills and Carmichael had recently bought the restaurant, which was beloved by locals and those travelling along Highway 3 between the South Okanagan and the Lower Mainland.

One night they awoke to the smell of smoke. They tried to go down the stairs from their living quarters to exit through the restaurant.  "But we were met by a wall of smoke," Mills said.

Their only option was to go out onto the roof, which they had access to from their living space. Once on the roof, Mills said she and Carmichael could feel the vibrations of the fire in the building.

Taking the leap

Neighbours came to the burning building to help, and tried to put a ladder up the side of the structure. But it was too hot.

The couple threw their little dog Dexter down to neighbours, then Carmichael jumped. Next, it was Mills' turn. 

"I know they were calling for me. I could hear them. I couldn't see anybody," said Mills.

She says the last thing she remembered was looking behind her and seeing the flames. She doesn't remember jumping and her neighbours say she didn't scream.

Mills landed on the hard gravel ground flat footed. She suffered a fractured foot, a compound fracture on her ankle, a broken heel and a partially broken back. Carmichael's right knee was damaged, and his left ankle was shattered.

"The doctor pretty much said it was powder," said Mills. 

Mills and Carmichael lost everything they owned. They must also attend physiotherapy regularly and both struggle with their mobility. But Mills said the couple remain optimistic about the future. 

"We deal as best as we can … we're just trying to be as normal as we can through all of this," said Mills.

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With files from Radio West.