A tenant at a local property was fined $360 for disabling a smoke alarm following a fire on Saturday July 9, 2016. The Huntsville/Lake of Bays Fire Department responded to the fire in a lower unit apartment around 11am. The family living upstairs could smell smoke and upon entering the lower unit to investigate, found a fire on the kitchen stove and heavy smoke throughout the dwelling. The homeowner was able to extinguish the fire and get his family safely outside. Fire crews ventilated the structure and checked for any extension of fire. The lower unit tenant had left the home just prior to the time of the fire.
The fire was caused when some combustible items were placed on the stove top and had inadvertently knocked a dial on the stove causing an element to heat up and ignite the items. Damage was contained to the stove and cupboards above with smoke damage throughout the lower unit.
During the investigation, a disabled smoke alarm was found in the lower unit which failed to alert the family upstairs of the fire. “Had the child upstairs not smelled the smoke, the outcome of this fire could have been a whole lot different,” said Fire Chief Stephen Hernen. “Disabling a smoke alarm not only puts your life in danger, but also endangers the lives of other occupants in the building,” he added.
Tenants who experience nuisance alarms are encouraged to contact their landlord. Nuisance alarms can be reduced or eliminated by moving the alarm or replacing it with a photoelectric-type alarm equipped with a hush feature.
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