Cigarette sparks apartment fire

BLAZE SPOTTED BY NEIGHBOUR

Fire officials are reminding the Lethbridge community of the high fire risk after a second west side apartment fire Thursday night caused by improper cigarette disposal.

Firefighters were called to an apartment complex in the 300 block of Highlands Blvd. W. around 9 p.m.

The fire started on the deck of a fourth floor unit. The tenant was sleeping inside and unaware there was a fire. A neighbour spotted the flames and called 911. Crews from two stations arrived on scene and quickly contained the fire to the deck. The damage is estimated at $1,000.

The complex is home to approximately 80 people in 45 units.

Fire Prevention Officer Marc Royer said the situation could have been much worse if it hadn’t been noticed and acted on so quickly.

“This situation could have been just like the Gardens on the west side if that fire had been left going another two or three minutes,” he said. “We would like again to plead with our community to please be very careful with cigarettes, or any combustible material that you’re using, that could cause something else to start fire.”

Just over two weeks ago, on July 11, more than three dozen firefighters were called to a large fire at The Gardens at West Highlands on the 2600 block of Garry Drive West. That fire, which originated on a third floor balcony, caused an estimated $2.5 million in damage and 140 seniors were evacuated from their homes.

Balconies and outside decks on houses are common places for those who smoke to do so, said Royer — which makes them higher risk areas by nature of the materials used to construct them, combined with the fact that a fire starting outside a building won’t trigger a smoke alarm often until it’s too late.

This creates extreme risk for property damage and public safety.

“As in the apartment fire last night, there was no building warning devices like the alarm system going off because the smoke is outside, not inside the building,” said Royer. “So until the fire is actually raging quite rapidly, we may not know from any device triggered inside the building.”

Smokers are reminded to ensure cigarettes are disposed of in a noncombustible container filled with sand or water.

They are also reminded not to throw cigarette butts outside vehicle windows, as it could easily spark a fire under the current hot and dry weather conditions.

“We think it’s everybody’s reponsibility in the community to protect the community,” he said. “Please ensure your cigarette is out. It may look out but it’s not, it’s still burning within.

“Being so dry, one cigarette can cause a major fire.”

Earlier on Thursday, the City of Lethbridge issued a city-wide fire ban due to the extremely dry conditions.

The ban includes all open fires within the city of Lethbridge, including all backyard fire pits, and will remain in place until further notice.