A house fire in Battleford this week resulted in significant damage. (file photo/battlefordsNOW Staff)
House fire

Update on house fire in Battleford

Oct 9, 2020 | 4:55 PM

Battleford Fire Department determined a house fire in Battleford this week started after some grass near the home caught on fire.

Fire Chief Larry Gabruch said the fire department responded to a call about the fire on the 200 block of 28 Street at about 5:20 p.m., Oct. 6.

He confirmed the cause of the fire was determined to be “improper disposal of smoking materials.”

He noted grass conditions are very dry in the fall so there is greater risk for the grass to catch on fire.

The occupant in the building managed to get out safely. No one was injured in the blaze. One firefighter suffered minor smoke inhalation during the incident and was given oxygen.

A cat found inside the building succumbed to smoke inhalation.

Gabruch said the fire started underneath a deck.

“The fire originated on the deck and ran up the side of the wall into the soffit area, and then entered the attic,” he said.

It took the fire department about 15 minutes to put out the blaze and about an hour to extinguish any hot spots inside the building.

“When we arrived [the fire] was fully involved,” Gabruch said. “The roof, attic area and the north wall was all on fire.”

A total of 16 firefighters attended the location to put out the blaze.

They were able to contain the fire to the back of the house, to extinguish it.

angela.brown@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @farmnewsNOW

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