Calgary, AB,
09
July
2021
|
16:06
America/Denver

Calgary fire crews fight house fire in Monterey Park

At approximately 10:20 on the morning of Friday, July 9, 2021, Calgary fire crews were called to a house on Eldorado Close N.E. for reports of a house fire. When fire crews arrived on scene, smoke could be seen coming from some of the second story windows.

Firefighters mounted an interior attack and the fire was quickly brought under control thus limiting fire damage to the room of origin. All residents made it out of the house without injury. Other damage to the home consisted of smoke damage to the entire second floor and water damage as a result of firefighting efforts.

The five residents of the house will be displaced and have been connected with the Red Cross for immediate support.

A Calgary Fire Department fire investigator attended the scene and discovered that the origin of the fire was a small room on the second floor. The cause of the fire was due to candles which were left unattended and subsequently ignited surrounding materials, causing the fire to grow and spread. Due to the fact that there were no smoke alarms on the second level, occupants were not alerted to the presence of a fire in a timely manner. It was also discovered that there were no other working smoke alarms in the home.

Candles left unattended are a common cause of residential fires. Here are some safety tips when using candles:

  • Blow out all candles when you leave the room or go to bed
  • Avoid the use of candles in the bedroom and other areas where people may fall asleep
  • Use candle holders that are sturdy, non-combustible and won’t tip over easily
  • Keep candles at least 1 foot (30 centimetres) away from anything that can burn
  • Put candle holders on a sturdy, uncluttered surface

The Calgary Fire department would also like to remind citizens of the importance of having working smoke alarms on every level of your home and especially on levels where people sleep. It is now recommended that smoke alarms be placed not only outside sleeping areas but inside as well.

Smoke alarms, when properly installed, tested and maintained, provide the best early warning system in the event of a house fire. If a fire does take hold in your home and your smoke alarm activates, you may have as little as two minutes to safely evacuate.

For rental properties, it is the responsibility of the landlord to ensure that there are working smoke alarms in the residence and it is the responsibility of the tenant to maintain them. Maintaining them means testing them once per month by pushing the test button and changing the battery once per year for those alarms that require it, as per the manufacturer’s instructions. Fire code requirements may vary depending on the date of construction.

For more information on general fire safety, please visit calgary.ca/fire and for specific information on smoke alarms, visit calgary.ca/fire

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