REGINA – A family of three is out of their home after a serious fire on Oxford Street.
The Deputy Fire Chief says it started just after 12:30 p.m. when crews from Grid One were changing the power meter on the exterior of the house.
They were updating from a standard to a smart meter when it accidentally short circuited and created a spark that went into the basement.
Firefighters had to back out of the basement at first because the flames were too hot and intense. Only after they popped the windows and poured water into the lower level were they able to get inside.
In that time, the blaze spread to the main floor of the house as well.
Only one person was home – they got out safe and sound.
The family of three is now finding alternate accommodations with the help of the Mobile Crisis Unit.
The Deputy Fire Chief says because of Regina’s soil conditions power crews do see a lot of pulled meters. That can cause sparks when work is being done on them, but they usually see only one or two of those a year, and rarely do they result in serious fires like this one.
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