Two homes heavily damaged in afternoon fire
HAMILTON, ON – August 28, 2016 – Hamilton Fire Department responded to a report of a house fire at 148 Belmont Ave., Hamilton at approximately 12:02 pm this afternoon. Upon arrival firefighters found the occupants outside of the house and confirmed a well involved fire with flames showing from the second floor windows in this 1 ½ storey detached house.
A Multiple alarm was dispatched to the location to bring additional resources to the scene when the fire began to extend to the neighboring home, 150 Belmont Ave. Firefighters were able to extinguish the fire at both 150 Belmont Ave. and 148 Belmont Ave. after an aggressive interior attack inside both homes.
Damage to 150 Belmont Ave. and 148 Belmont Ave. is extensive along with exterior damages to the siding of 146 Belmont Ave. with a total estimated at approximately $700,000. The Fire Marshal’s Office has been notified of this fire due to the large dollar loss. The probable cause of the fire was determined to be careless disposal of smoking material.
There were no injuries to the public and one firefighter was taken to hospital where he received treatment and release.
The Hamilton Fire Department would like to remind all citizens that cigarette and other smoking materials that are not properly extinguished can smoulder undetected for days before bursting into flame. These fires can start when plant pots and other easy-to-ignite materials are used as ashtrays, or cigarette butts are carelessly discarded.
Tips:
- Always use a deep, not-combustible, sturdy ashtray to extinguish smoking materials.
- Never extinguish smoking materials in plant pots.
- Never throw out cigarettes into vegetation, landscaping, peat moss, dried grasses, mulch, leaves, garbage and other similar items - they can easily catch fire.
- Never discard smoking materials on the ground.
- Make sure matches and cigarette butts in ashtrays are wet before you put them in a garbage container.
For more information on fire safety, contact our Fire Prevention Division at 905 546-2424 Ext.1380, weekdays between 8:30 am and 4:30 pm or visit our website at www.hamilton.ca/fire.