Thunder Bay – NEWS – A potentially disastrous basement fire was effectively contained by the prompt response of Thunder Bay fire crews on Friday evening at around 6:00 PM in the Current River neighbourhood.
The incident, which happened on Leslie Avenue, began with the homeowner encountering electrical issues that led to the discovery of a fire in the basement’s dropped ceiling.
The first team on the scene encountered smoke emanating from the basement and immediately escalated the situation, calling for backup with a second alarm that brought two additional pumpers and an aerial ladder to assist.
Their rapid assessment revealed that the fire was spreading through the main level floor joists, posing a significant risk to the entire structure.
The fire crews were able to access and expose the fire in the critical area between the floor joists. Their efforts to bring the fire under control were successful, preventing it from ravaging the rest of the home.
The damage was confined to the basement, where fire and water took their toll, but remarkably, smoke damage spread through the rest of the residence.
There were no injuries reported as a result of the blaze.
Following the incident, Thunder Bay Fire Rescue has issued a statement urging the community to maintain functional smoke alarms and to resist re-entering a home once safely evacuated.
This event serves as a stark reminder of the critical role that smoke alarms and quick emergency responses play in protecting lives and property from the unpredictable threat of fire.
