Ottawa firefighters swiftly responded to a fire caused by a family dog chewing on a heated ski glove, leading to the battery inside igniting. The incident occurred at a residence on Bevington Walk in Orléans. The fire was initially detected by an alarm monitoring company, which alerted both the homeowner and emergency services. Passersby also notified authorities about the blaze.
Firefighters arrived at the scene within four minutes to find heavy smoke and flames emanating from a ground floor window. They promptly tackled the fire using a hose and conducted a search for any occupants inside the house. The family dog was found and safely rescued without any injuries. The fire was brought under control in approximately 10 minutes.
The Ottawa Fire Services spokesperson, Nick DeFazio, mentioned that fires triggered by pets are not uncommon, but the ignition caused by the dog chewing on the heated ski glove was an exceptionally rare occurrence. Security footage confirmed that the dog had damaged the lithium-ion battery inside the glove, leading to the fire outbreak.
Following the incident, the house occupants, an adult, and a child were displaced. OFS emphasized the importance of handling lithium-ion batteries with care to prevent safety hazards. The homeowner cooperated with authorities by sharing the video footage to raise awareness about fire prevention measures.
OFS highlighted the significance of monitored smoke alarms in detecting fires promptly and dispatching emergency services. They advised the public to store items containing lithium-ion batteries securely, away from pets and children, and to dispose of any damaged batteries or devices promptly.