Spontaneous combustion due to improperly stored chemicals is the cause of a blaze in Saskatoon’s Lakewood Urban Centre area Tuesday, according to a fire investigator.
Members of the Saskatoon Fire Department (SFD) were called to an apartment building on Pawlychenko Lane at approximately 3:10 a.m., where they saw smoke coming from the overhead door of the parkade.
“Evacuation by vehicles and (apartment) tenants was already in progress,” read an SFD statement June 22.
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With the sprinkler system activated, firefighters said they advanced a hose line and quickly brought the fire under control by around 3:30 a.m.
“Smoke was reported on all three levels of the apartment building. Firefighters began ventilating the building to reduce smoke and carbon monoxide,” read the statement.
“Tenants were allowed to return to their suites at 5 a.m. once the smoke was cleared and carbon monoxide levels brought back down to 1 (parts per million).”
The investigator searched the parkade and confirmed spontaneous combustion occurred in a storage closet due to improperly stored chemicals, which were then secured by Hazmat technicians.
SFD said damage is estimated at $25,000 and there were no injuries.
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