A malfunctioning electric baseboard heater started a fire in a one storey multi-unit residential complex in the 800 block of Nelson Avenue last evening.
Nelson Fire and Rescue Services says it responded shortly after 7:30 p.m. to a locked and vacant apartment.
Once inside, they discovered the baseboard was producing enough heat to scorch the wall, ceiling, and partially melt a vinyl Venetian blind.
The resulting light smoke activated the smoke alarm. The problem was solved by turning off the breaker, removing the heater, and ripping out the wall behind the heater to ensure the fire didn’t extend into the wall cavity.
“This near miss, involving the successful activation of a smoke alarm, stresses the importance of having working smoke alarms,” Captain Bob Patton said in a news release.
“When you hear an activated smoke alarm at a neighbour’s residence please check on their safety and the cause. In this case, the caller made the right decision to call the fire department.”