Cobourg Fire Department are crediting a fire alarm system for alerting the occupants their building was on fire in downtown on Friday, September 18, 2020.
Firefighters were called to 20 King Street East, just east of Division Street at approximately 3:30 p.m. for a general fire alarm.
While en route firefighters received a update from dispatch indicting a resident smelled smoke and the call was upgraded with more firefighters called to a potential working fire.
When firefighters arrived on scene, there was visible smoke coming out the front entrance of the building and occupants were evacuating.
Firefighters went throughout the building to make sure all occupants were evacuated.
Prior to firefighters arriving a person knocked the fire down using an extinguisher.
Acting Captain Jeff Brigs said it appears a person was using a torch to burn grass along the edge of a sidewalk. The torch came to close to the building and started a fire along the doorway at the back entrance.
Cobourg Police blocked off King Street from McGIll Street to Division Street and Northumberland Paramedics were on standby at the scene.
Damage was confirmed to the back doorway of the building and tenants were allowed back in after firefighters ventilated the building approximately an hour after the call.
Author: Pete Fisher
Has been a photojournalist for over 30-years and have been honoured to win numerous awards for photography and writing over the years. Best selling author for the book Highway of Heroes - True Patriot Love
