A 15-unit building at 1920 Preston Street (at Huron Street) was evacuated briefly Tuesday night (Jan. 7) when an overloaded transformer smoked off dust and debris that had collected on top. Rented space heaters overloaded the transformer.
Overheated transformer smokes out apartment building
An east London apartment building was briefly evacuated Tuesday night (Jan. 7) when an overloaded transformer filled the basement with light smoke.
London firefighters responded to a possible fire at a three-storey apartment building at Huron and Preston streets shortly after 7 p.m. According to London Fire Department district chief Lew Carter, the building’s boiler failed on Monday, prompting the landlord to rent 15 space heaters to keep the tenants warm. Unfortunately, the extra electrical load warmed up the building’s transformer too, enough to smoke off the dust and debris that had settled on it and nearby wires and prompt a 911 call.
“We unplugged the space heaters and the transformer was fine,” Carter said.
He said one person complained of smoke inhalation at the scene but there were no patients treated at hospital.
