SASKATOON — The Saskatoon Fire Department concluded its investigation on the structure fire that happened in the early morning of Jan. 30, Sunday.
The Fire Investigator was able to re-enter the structure and completed a scene examination of the structure in the 300 block of 109th Street West last Tuesday, Feb. 8.
The cause of the fire has been determined to be accidental due to combustibles being too close to the water heater.
Combustible material was ignited by the flame of the water heater resulting in the fire that originated in the service/furnace room.
Background
SFD responded to the fire at 5:13 a.m. where it was reported to have started in the furnace room. The SFD dispatched three fire engines, a ladder and rescue units, and the Battalion Chief with the first arriving crews reporting heavy smoke and flames coming from the basement.
Fire crews had the fire under control in the basement but the fire extended to the main floor and through the roof. The ladder truck crew used the hydraulic ladder to extinguish the fire showing in the attic/roof area while ground-level fire crews switched from an interior to an exterior attack at 6:24 a.m.
During the fire, two firefighters nearly became casualties as they were conducting a routine search in making sure no occupants were left inside the house. All occupants were accounted for after the smoke alarm alerted them to the fire.
The fire conditions drastically changed inside the structure with all combustible materials igniting simultaneously creating a flashover condition — an event that occurs during fires where combustible surfaces in a confined space simultaneously ignite due to being exposed to thermal radiation.
Both firefighters found a safe space inside a bedroom that has a window and closed the door behind them. They initiated a “mayday” call prompting the firefighters outside to bring a ladder to the window and help their colleagues inside. Both firefighters safely evacuated the structure without injury.
