Cigarette butt burns down homes in SE Calgary

Local fire officials are out with a warning after investigators learned a cigarette butt burnt down homes in southeast Calgary.

The Calgary Fire Department (CFD) determined probable cause of a July 21 fire in Deer Run to be a burning cigarette butt that was put in a planter pot.

The fire set three homes ablaze and displaced five people, leaving one woman injured. The CFD says improper disposal of smoking material is one of the top reasons for accidental fires in the city.

“We havent had rain for several weeks now,” says Calgary fire spokesperson Carol Henke. “It’s hot, it’s dry, and those dried grasses and brush can very quickly ignite.”

“The wind can take that and carry that fire very quickly and destroy homes and neighborhoods.”

Henke says smokers should dispose cigarettes in a safe container with sand and a lid. She adds the top three causes of fire in the city are improper disposal of smoking material, electrical fires and cooking left unattended.

The latter was named as the probably cause of a July 19 explosion in an East Village high-rise that left one person dead.

“Burning oil is hundreds of degrees, so don’t try to carry it, don’t try to put it in the sink, never, ever put water on a grease fire,” says Henke. “It will create a huge explosion that will burn you and spread flames to the rest of the kitchen very quickly.”

Henke says the best way is to deal with a grease fire is cover the pan and let it cool off, but if you feel uncomfortable, clear the house and call 911.

Ahead of the August long weekend, the fire department advises people to be mindful of barbeques and fire pits being used in parks. Once finished with the food preparation, people should take a moment and extinguish the fire before they leave.

More tips on fire prevention can be found here.