SASKATOON — A resident in a house in the 900 block of Avenue L North was momentarily displaced due to a fire caused by a hand made furnace on Friday. The occupant has now found alternate accommodations.
The utilities were not in service at the time of the fire and the Fire Investigator identified many contributing factors that caused the fire, firstly the use of an inappropriate and unsafe heat source identified as a makeshift furnace in a bedroom.
The hand made furnace was constructed out of a barrel to allow for items to be burned and inadequately vented through the bedroom window. The number of items inside the structure contributed to the spread of fire and its challenge in being extinguished.
Damage is estimated to be $50,000 as the fire extended from the bedroom and its window into the roof. The cause of the fire was determined to be accidental.
Due to the extreme number of materials littered inside and outside of the structure, the Fire Investigator will be issuing Orders under the Property Maintenance & Nuisance Abatement Bylaw 8175 requiring the removal of items. A separate order will be issued requiring repairs to the structure due to the fire damage.
The house is being closed under the Authority of the Saskatoon Fire Department due to the lack of utilities, fire damage and the extreme accumulation identified.
The SFD received the report of a house fire with smoke and flame showing at 9:35 a.m. and immediately dispatched three fire engines, a ladder and a rescue truck, the Battalion Chief, and a Fire Investigator.
First arriving fire crew and their officer reported heavy smoke showing. All incoming fire crews were assigned tactical duties and extinguishment was initiated from the exterior into the interior.
Due to an extreme accumulation of items in the yard and the interior of the structure, this posed an extra challenge to firefighters as they advanced hose lines and water onto the fire.
SFD declared the fire out at 9:46 a.m. while firefighters had to work around extremely congested conditions in order to get to the origin of the fire and complete extinguishment.
Searches were conducted to ensure no one was inside the structure in need of evacuation. No injuries occurred to firefighters or civilians due to this fire.
