Officials with the North Bay Fire and Emergency Services say a suppertime housefire has a homeowner answering to charges.
Personnel say they were alerted to the fire at 5:37 p.m. Tuesday. Fire crews from all three North Bay stations responded to the call at 181 Third Avenue East.
“The fire started in the rear of the home and had extended into the attic and roof structure by the time firefighting personnel arrived on the scene,” Deputy Fire Chief Greg Saunders said. “Fire crews were on the scene in three minutes and successfully managed to extinguish the fire very quickly. The three tenants in the home were alerted to the fire by a neighbour and were able to successfully self-evacuate without incident.
“The home has suffered significant damage and significant repairs will need to happen before the tenants can move back into their home,” he continued. “Early indications are that careless cooking may have been the cause of the fire. If you have a barbeque, please ensure that you maintain sufficient clearance from your home.”
Saunders adds that the owner has been charged with failure to properly maintain working smoke alarms.
Fires grow exponentially, every minute counts,” he added. “The earlier that firefighting personnel is alerted to a fire the earlier that we are able to be on the scene. Whether someone is in need of rescue or if we simply need to extinguish a fire we are more effective at managing an incident when we are able to have a timely response.
“The earlier we get there the better the chance for a positive outcome,” Saunders continued. “This is why properly located, properly maintained smoke alarms are so important. A smoke alarm can save your life.”
Saunders also thanked Alex Knecht and the Cooperators on Airport Road who donated enough face shields for each of our firefighters.
