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Space heater sparks Coldstream trailer fire, deemed accidental

Couple lost their entire home
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A fire was sparked in a Coldstream home Friday shortly after 11 a.m. (Shawn Morgan photo)

A fire that destroyed a Coldstream home last week has been deemed accidental, and the cause appears to have been a faulty space heater.

Coldstream and Lavington firefighters responded to the blaze on Flamingo Way shortly after 11 a.m. Friday, Nov. 18. The home is considered a total loss.

The homeowner was at the double-wide modular home when the fire broke out and managed to escape with the two family dogs.

Keith Green, protective services manager with the District of Coldstream, was in charge of inspecting the site. He said his investigation confirmed the fire was accidental as the homeowner was using a space heater to keep their hot tub pipes from freezing, which ignited some combustible material in the vicinity.

“Despite the homeowners’ best efforts to extinguish the fire, it extended from the hot tub area, to the shed, and then the home,” Green said, adding that crews did a great job of protecting the adjacent homes which were in close proximity and were “moments away from ignition.”

The two adjacent homes did sustain some minor damage to their siding.

Green said the homeowner suffered some minor smoke inhalation symptoms but has since recovered.

“A good reminder that space heaters can get extremely hot and should not be left unattended,” Green said.

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Brendan Shykora
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Brendan Shykora

About the Author: Brendan Shykora

I started as a carrier at the age of 8. In 2019 graduated from the Master of Journalism program at Carleton University.
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