CENTRE WELLINGTON – Actions of staff at Pine Meadows retirement community helped stop a vehicle fire from spreading to two nearby homes.
On Nov. 9 at about 4:15pm, the Fergus fire station responded to a vehicle fire call at Pine Meadows.
“When we arrived, there was in fact a vehicle on fire,” said deputy fire chief Jonathan Karn.
“The staff from Pine Meadows were on scene … attempting to extinguish the fire prior to our arrival.
“Just prior to our arrival the vehicle, which was parked fairly close to the garage of the house, the attached garage, the heat from the fire had extended to the house and melted some of the vinyl siding off the front and the side of the house as well as melted some siding off a neighbour’s house.”
Pine Meadows staff members used fire extinguishers to try to keep the vehicle fire under control until firefighters arrived.
“I really believe that had they not done that it would probably have extended to the house more than it did,” Karn said.
There were 31 firefighters on scene for about 90 minutes.
Karn said he called crews from the Elora station to be on hand in case the fire extended into the home, but they were never needed because once the vehicle fire was under control the crews pulled apart the vinyl siding and realized the houses were spared.
“They’ll have to get the vinyl siding replaced in some areas but no additional fire damage,” Karn said.
In total the fire caused about $80,000 in damage when taking into account both homes and the destroyed vehicle.
The fire is not considered suspicious and Karn said it originated in the engine compartment of the vehicle.
“We don’t know an exact cause for that,” he added.
The homeowner had been using the vehicle and when parking in the driveway noticed smoke coming from under the hood.
Karn said it’s a good idea at this time of year to check under the hood to see if there’s a build-up of leaves or materials left behind by animals like squirrels.
“So just part of your regular fall/winter maintenance, making sure that there’s no buildup of items like that underneath your hood that could potentially overheat and cause fires,” Karn said.
Submitted photo
