Fire illustrates why DIY pipe thawing is not a good idea

No one was injured but the two occupants of a home on the 900 block of Lundell Road in the Big Eddy were forced to flee when the structure caught fire late in the morning of Saturday, December 7. Chief Girard said the fire was caused by improper and unattended use of a space heater to thaw a frozen water pipe. Photos courtesy of Revelstoke Fire Rescue Services
No one was injured but the two occupants of a home on the 900 block of Lundell Road in the Big Eddy were forced to flee when the structure caught fire late in the morning of Saturday, December 7. Chief Girard said the fire was caused by improper and unattended use of a space heater to thaw a frozen water pipe. Photos courtesy of Revelstoke Fire Rescue Services

No one was injured but the two occupants of a home on the 900 block of Lundell Road in the Big Eddy were forced to flee when the structure caught fire late in the morning of Saturday, December 7.

“Upon arrival, fire crews quickly extinguished the fire, located under a mobile home, while search teams checked for fire extension and performed ventilation,” Fire Chief Rob Girard said in a statement.

He said fire crews then began to overhaul the building’s sub-structure.

“The two occupants of the residence were out of the building when fire crews first arrived on scene” Girard said.  Firefighters extinguished and overhauled the fire in just under one hour, with no injuries to any of the 21 responding fire personnel.

Emergency Social Services helped the occupants find shelter.

Chief Girard said the fire was caused by improper and unattended use of a space heater to thaw a frozen water pipe.  The chief wants to remind people to exercise extreme caution when thawing frozen pipes. Using space heaters and torches to thaw them can be disastrous.

He also reminded everyone to have a working smoke alarm in their residence at all times.

“It’s a sound we all can live with,” he said.