Winnipeg, MB – At 8:32 p.m. on Wednesday, May 20, 2020, Winnipeg Fire Paramedic Service (WFPS) responded to reports of a fire in a one-and-a-half storey, single-family home in the 300 block of Arnold Avenue. When crews arrived on scene, they encountered smoke coming from the exterior of the home. An attack was launched and the fire was declared under control at 8:43 p.m.
Occupants of the home self-evacuated prior to the arrival of crews. One of them was assessed on scene by paramedics but did not require transport to hospital. No other injuries were reported. Firefighters located and rescued two cats from the home.
The cause of the fire was determined to be accidental, due to the careless disposal of a cigarette butt. Residents are reminded smoking materials/butts should always be extinguished in an ashtray or deep metal container filled partway with sand or water. Do not dispose of butts with regular trash without first dousing the butt with water.
As well, plant pots should never be used as an ashtray. Potting soil is a mix of dirt and a number of combustible organic materials such as peat moss, shredded wood, and minerals which are combustible. When a butt is put into a planter, it can smolder for several hours. Once the container heats up, it can crack, giving the smoldering material oxygen and the opportunity to spread to other combustibles such as decks, balconies, walls, etc. Butts should also never be thrown from balconies, car windows, or disposed of near any vegetation such as grass or brush.