Cigarette discarded on deck sparked blaze
March 29, 2010
Sarah Deeth
Examiner Staff Writer
Careless smoking is believed to have caused a fire that destroyed part of a Lakefield house Monday night.
Mike Cavanagh, fire prevention officer for the Smith-Ennismore-Lakefield fire department, said it's believed the cigarette wasn't properly extinguished when it was discarded somewhere on the deck of an Ermatinger St. house.
He didn't know the exact sequence of events, Cavanagh said, but the butt then lit something on the deck at about 10:30 p.m.
The blaze spread to the back part of the house, the living room, attic and dining room area.
The home received heavy smoke damage.
An estimated cost of the damage isn't available yet.
People should remember to make sure cigarette butts are disposed of properly, he said.
"Dispose of smoking materials in a non-combustible, deep container."
Meanwhile city fire department Deputy Chief Ron Sparks said the cause of fire Monday that damaged a Stewart St. rooming house started with an electrical connection behind a wall and is believed to be accidental.
That fire caused $40,000 in damage.
The Peterborough City-County Disaster Trust Fund was called in to assist five residents affected by the Lakefield fire and three residents affected by the city fire.