Fire officials have determined a electric construction heater as the cause of a fire that destroyed a home in Hamilton Township on Friday, February 18, 2022.
Crews were dispatched to the home on White Road South in Harwood at approximately 8:30 p.m. and when crews arrived the garage and upper floors were engulfed in flames.
Fire crews from Port Hope and Alnwick/Haldimand Township were also called in to assist with shuttling water to the scene.
Flames quickly spread through the roof and the house was a total loss.
Two people who live at the residence made it out safely.
Fire crews were also called on Sunday, February 20, 2022 to the scene when someone reported smoke coming from the remains.
Fire Chief Kelly Serson said crews did a thorough investigation and found no fire. It’s believed high winds and blowing snow may have made it appear there was smoking coming from the home.
“We put the cause of the (Friday) fire as the electric construction heater that was placed in the garage.”
Serson said it’s a heater that a business would typically use at construction sites to heat an area.
“The homeowner was doing some work to the home and had a construction heater going in the garage.”
There have been a number of house fires in the last few weeks in Northumberland County attributed to space heaters and Serson adds that when a person isn’t in the room to turn off the heaters and unplug them.
“In this case, it was plugged in by an extension cord and extension cords overheat. When you’re not using them – unplug them.”
With temperatures fluctuating in the last few weeks from frigid temperatures to rain, people tend to use space heaters, but fire officials want people to know the dangers associated with them.
Serson also adds, space heaters shouldn’t be used as a permanent heating source.
Damage is estimated at $800,000.
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
