Space heater sparks fire

Photo: WKFR

A short circuit in a space heater sparked a house fire overnight in West Kelowna.

Firefighters responded to the blaze about 1:45 a.m. this morning at a home on the 1400 block of West Kelowna Road.

Flames from the heater spread to nearby furniture, and smoke was billowing from the front of the two-storey home. Smoke detectors alerted residents to the fire, and they had successfully knocked down the flames with fire extinguishers when fire crews arrived, assistant fire chief Darren Lee said.

Firefighters removed several pieces of burned furniture, but damage to the home was limited mostly to smoke.

Two residents were placed in the care of Emergency Support Services overnight, and fire investigators are expected to return to the home this morning.

While the residents were able to suppress the fire, WKFR reminds anyone using a fire extinguisher that ensuring your own safety takes precedence over trying to save property.  

Following a similar fire in December 2016, the department alerted the National Fire Protection Association and B.C.'s fire commissioner to the following stats:

• Heating equipment fires accounted for 16 per cent of all reported home fires in 2009-2013 (second behind cooking) and 19 per cent of home fire deaths (second behind smoking materials).
• Space heaters are involved in two of every five of home heating fires and accounting for 84 per cent of associated deaths.
• The leading factor contributing to home heating fire deaths (56 per cent) was heating equipment too close to furniture, clothing or bedding.