Lt(N) Hirst extinguishes truck fire during morning commute
By Archana Cini, with edits from Royal Canadian Navy Public Affairs – August 20, 2026
Caption
Lt(N) Hirst douses flames from a truck fire with a garden hose on July 21. Photo: Verna Chan
When Lieutenant Navy (Lt(N)) Alistair Hirst, a Bridge Watchkeeper with Patrol Craft Training Unit (Pacific), was cycling to His Majesty’s Canadian Dockyard on July 21, 2026, he noticed a truck that had crashed into a telephone pole.
At first, Lt(N) Hirst thought emergency responders might have already been on the scene.
"My first thought was that maybe it's an accident that happened an hour ago and the emergency services have already taken care of it," he said.
However, after he saw the smoke and the fire coming from under the engine, he realized help had not yet arrived.
Lt(N) Hirst stopped and quickly assessed the scene, checking for damaged power lines, hazards, and casualties.
He confirmed the vehicle was empty and that the driver was shaken but talking and upright without visible injuries.
With the fire still burning under the hood and no fire extinguisher in sight, a resident pointed him to a nearby garden hose, which Lt(N) Hirst used to extinguish the fire.
“It only took a few seconds to put out the flames,” he said.
Reflecting on the incident later, Lt(N) Hirst noted that his priority could have shifted sooner to keeping bystanders clear of the damaged power lines.
For Lt(N) Hirst, stopping to help wasn’t a question he asked himself in the moment.
“I can’t pass by someone in trouble and not stop,” he said, noting it was not the first time he had been the first person on the scene of an accident.
He credits his training in the Navy for helping him respond effectively, particularly as he had completed a fire refresher course the week before.
“My training in the RCN absolutely kicked in, especially with the instinct to fight the fire as quickly as possible, but also more generally with the ability to stop and think my way through an intense situation.”
It’s a fitting reminder that training doesn’t stay at the base; it comes with you, ready to make a difference. Bravo Zulu, Lt(N) Hirst!
This article originally appeared in The Lookout Newspaper. Read the full version.