Orangeville’s fire chief is urging citizens to ensure they have working smoke alarms after two people were taken to hospital following a kitchen fire in town.
“There were some that were not (working),” said fire Chief Ronald Morden. “We remind everybody to not leave cooking unattended and we also stress the importance of working smoke alarms.”
At about 5:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Aug. 15, Orangeville firefighters, police and Dufferin EMS were called to respond to reports of a house fire at a residence on Steven Street. Upon their arrival, firefighters saw the occupants and black smoke exiting the front doors.
Morden estimates the fire caused about $20,000 worth of damage. Nobody was seriously injured, but two people were taken to hospital for assessment due to smoke inhalation and released later Wednesday night.
“The occupant had attempted to extinguish the fire himself and was exposed to a great deal of smoke. … It could have caused serious health complications,” Morden said, advising people in similar situations to exit buildings safely and wait for firefighters to arrive.
“You should ensure your safety first, call 911 and if you have sufficient means to attempt it — if the fire is small enough — use an extinguisher,” he added. “The main thing is to exit the building safely and wait for fire department arrival.”
Link to original article in Orangeville.com: 2 taken to hospital for smoke inhalation after Orangeville fire