Investigators say a $1.5-million fire at a northwest London townhouse complex on Saturday may have been sparked by a malfunctioning barbecue.
Nobody was injured, but 12 people were left homeless by the blaze at 1460 Limberlost, near Gainsborough, which damaged as many as eight units.
“Early reports that I was receiving on the fire ground, it seemed that the barbecue had a meltdown, for whatever reason, whether it was left running, I don’t know,” said Acting District Chief Tim Kritzer. “It ended up blowing a fuse in the tank, the tank’s pressurized, there’s fire there, it shot flames up to the mansard siding and penetrated that, and having got into that, got into the attic.”
Members of the London Fire Department, along with London Police and EMS, were dispatched to the scene just after 11 a.m. Saturday.
The blaze took around six hours to extinguish, and rescue efforts were hampered by the windy conditions, said Acting District Fire Chief Tim Kritzer.
“The fire started on the outside and worked its way up the building and had gotten into the roof through a mansard siding,” said Kritzer. “The fire was hiding in the attic space, chasing down the building, so it was a difficult fire to get on top of. Wind didn’t help anything, and then later in the day it started raining.”
Damage to the property was extensive, and Kritzer said total damage is estimated at $1.5-million.
“The roof entirely from one end to the other is practically gone,” said Kritzer. “In order to attack that roof, we had to tear ceiling down on the inside, and we had to cut holes in the top. A lot of water damage following that, they were just chasing the fire through that attic space.”
Residents were evacuated by police and there were no reports of injuries to people. One family, whose unit suffered extensive damage, said they lost their belongings, school text books, clothing, food, and their cat, who was trapped inside. They did not have insurance. The family has started a GoFundMe page to raise funds.
Officials with the Salvation Army worked on Saturday to coordinate accommodations and shelter for those with no place to go. It’s not known when the damaged units will be safe to return to.
Asked whether the Ontario Fire Marshal would attend the scene, Kritzer said it was not yet known.
“Yesterday that was an ambiguity, so I don’t know where it is today, where it’s going to land today,” said Kritzer on Sunday. “I do know we are going to start an investigation and maybe, based on findings, they will show up. They have the election to or not to.”
(Photos courtesy of @bravetube, @pyrokidmike, @scottycan33)
Source: $1.5-Million Townhouse Fire in Northwest London Triggered by BBQ’s Blown Fuse | (CFPL AM) AM 980
