A family dog died in a rowhouse fire in Sarnia that Sarnia Fire Rescue says was caused by a lithium-ion battery, though all four residents escaped after smoke alarms alerted them.
Crews responded at about 3:09 a.m. to a multi-unit rowhouse in the 200 block of Vidal Street South. The service says the battery went into thermal runaway, causing a rapidly spreading fire. During search and rescue, firefighters found the dog inside, brought it out and gave it oxygen and emergency care, but it did not survive. No other injuries were reported.
“The Vidal Street South fire is an important reminder of how critical working smoke alarms are,” the service said. “Early warning gave all four residents the opportunity to escape safely.”
Earlier, on Sunday evening, crews were called to a kitchen fire in the 700 block of Devine Street. The fire service says a cooking fire got out of control, and residents safely left the home. Firefighters put the fire out, and no injuries were reported.
The service is reminding residents not to leave cooking unattended, and not to throw water on a grease fire. For a small grease fire, it says to slide a properly fitting lid over the pan and turn off the burner if it is safe. For lithium-ion batteries, it says to buy products certified by CSA or ULC, use the manufacturer-approved charger, unplug devices once charged and never charge damaged, swollen or overheating batteries. It also urges residents to have working smoke alarms on every storey and outside sleeping areas.
