3,800 Georgetown homes impacted by power surge as 2 homes catch on fire

Officials say they’re probing the cause of two house fires and a hydro surge that impacted approximately 3,800 homes in south Georgetown.

Art Skidmore, president and CEO of Halton Hills Hydro, told Global News there was an over-current in its distribution system at around 9:30 a.m. on Thursday and it caused a power surge in the affected area. He called such an issue “very rare.”

“It happens very infrequently, and particularly to this magnitude of homes,” Skidmore said, adding there aren’t any residual surges or power issues expected.

Harry Olivieri, commissioner and fire chief of the Halton Hills Fire Department, said emergency crews received calls began received calls at around the same time. He told Global News during an update Thursday afternoon that the service received more than 30 calls reporting fires and the smell of smoke since that time.

Alex Downey’s mother’s home went into flames following the power surge and while the outside looks untouched, the home’s interior is coated in black soot and smoke damage.

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Downey said he received a phone call from his mother’s home security service at first, inquiring about a possible break-and-enter.

“I thought maybe the dog set off the alarm,” he said, but it turned out to be firefighters breaking front windows to gain access inside the home.

“The fire started downstairs where there is a TV and a power bar and the surge went through and lit the power bar on fire and it came up through the wall here into the second level.”

Downey said his mother was at the cottage at the time of the fire and he’s grateful there were no injuries. But still some sentimental valuables have been lost.

“Everything can be replaced, but it’s pictures and all that stuff of grandchildren that sucks,” he said.

Tweet This Click to share quote on Twitter: "Everything can be replaced, but it's pictures and all that stuff of grandchildren that sucks," he said.

“You never think when you get up in the morning and leave that your house will be destroyed.”

Olivieri said crews responding to two working house fires, nothing both have since been extinguished. Firefighters were also called to the Toronto Premium Outlets after alarms were triggered there, but crews were cleared a short time later.

He asked residents to check electrical outlets and appliances and if there are issues to call a licensed electrician. Olivieri also encouraged people to check home monitoring devices.

“Be prepared for the unexpected,” he said.

Tweet This Click to share quote on Twitter: "Be prepared for the unexpected," he said.

“Make sure your smoke alarms and CO detectors are in working order and testing those monthly.”

There were no reports of injuries as a result of the fires or the power surges.

Skidmore and Olivieri wouldn’t confirm the surge and the fires were linked, saying the investigation into the cause and circumstances is ongoing.