No one was injured when a basement fire broke out this week in a residence on Dane Avenue in North Bay. Firefighters arrived on the scene just after 8 p.m. on July 8, with all three fire stations responding. “The initial crew was on scene in five minutes and were met with heavy smoke and fire conditions from the basement of a semi-detached home,” Steve Vibert, acting deputy fire chief, said in an email to CTV News on July 9. Altered by the fire alarm “The occupant was alerted by the sounding smoke alarms and was able to quickly leave the residence, proceed to call 911 and alert the neighbours who all evacuated safely with their pets.” Vibert said that basement fires are particularly challenging for fire crews “due to intense heat and limited access and egress to and from the fire compartment.” “The bidirectional flow path of heat and smoke in basement fires is often the stairwell, which is the same route that firefighters are using to descend upon the fire,” he said. “The open area and heavy fire load of many basements can lead to an increased potential for rapid fire events such as rollover and flashover.” However, crews were able to bring the blaze under control, limiting fire damage to the basement, with parts of the rest of the home suffering smoke damage. Early damage estimate is about $100,000. “The cause of the fire is under investigation but not deemed suspicious,” Vibert said. “North Bay Fire and Emergency Services reminds everyone that extension cords are designed for temporary use and should never replace permanent wires due to fire, electrocution and overheating risks.”
