Calgary Fire Investigators Determine the Probable Cause of Deer Run House Fire
On the evening of July 21, 2024, two homes were destroyed and two homes were damaged when fire broke out that evening on Deer Run Drive S.E. After a thorough investigation of the possible causes, the probable cause of the fire has been determined to be accidental in nature and the result of a cigarette butt put into a planter pot located on the rear deck area. The outdoor conditions which included high temperatures, low humidity and direct sunlight were right for the cigarette butt to smolder, ignite the organic material in the plant pot and start a quickly growing fire.
Improper disposal of smoking material such as tobacco products is the leading cause of accidental outdoor fires in Calgary and is 100% preventable. Fires that start on the outside of a home grow and spread incredibly fast, giving residents sometimes only seconds to safely evacuate.
To better protect your homes, it is recommended that you:
- Never put out cigarettes or smoking material in flower planter, peat moss, your lawn or garden.
- Properly dispose of smoking material by using a deep, wide, sturdy metal container with a lid, filled part way with sand or water that should be emptied regularly.
- Ensure all butts and ash are out by soaking them with water prior to putting in the trash.
- Extreme caution should be used in the city’s natural areas and green spaces where extremely dry vegetation covering the ground provides readily combustible fuel if an ignition source is applied.
Other ways of reducing the fire risk around your home:
- Do not store propane tanks, firewood or yard waste next to your house.
- Prune all tree branches within two metres of the ground and plant new trees at least three metres apart.
- Assess potential fire hazards within 1.5 metres of your home, including natural debris, trees and other structures.
It is imperative that every family have a home escape plan that is practiced twice per year. In a typical home fire, you may have as little as two minutes to escape from the time the smoke alarm sounds. Knowing how to use those minutes can make a lifesaving difference.
A home escape plan contains the layout of your home, the escape routes that should be used, and where to meet once you are outside. It is important to create and practice an escape plan with everyone who lives in your home so that they know what to do if there is a fire. For more information on fire prevention and fire safety please visit calgary.ca/fire
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