Rash of weekend fires, frigid temperatures, create challenges for London fire crews

The London Fire Department was kept extremely busy over the weekend responding to several fires. Gerry Dewan explains.

It was a challenging 24 hours for London Fire Department crews, extending into Monday morning.

“We had five structure fires in the city last night. That kept the crews quite a bit busy,” explained Platoon Chief Brent Shea.

Shea tells CTV News fighting fires in the deep cold makes the situation more dangerous and more challenging.

“Our difficulties when it gets this cold is that we have to keep the water moving. Stagnant water starts to freeze. That includes water in our trucks and our hoses. So that becomes quite a logistical nightmare for us at the scene,” he explained.

It was below -20 C when fire crews were battling the blaze on Horton Street, just west of Adelaide. The fire started just after midnight Monday morning and had crews on scene until almost 8 a.m.

To keep the water moving and prevent lines freezing, crews will let it flow out onto the ground.

It’s a situation which firefighters are aware of and prepared for. Shea says the concern is for others who may enter the scene.

“Quite often it could be a slip hazard for motor vehicles and for people. So, we’d rather you stay out of the area so we can get things all cleaned up from the call and make it’s safe again,” he said.

Along with the fire on Horton Street there was a fire in the garage of a home on Dylan Street in northeast London, an apartment fire in the 300-block of Dundas Street, and a fire at a construction site at the corner of Highbury Avenue and Edgevalley Road.

Shea notes the cold can also create situations that lead to fires.

“Our concern this time of year, when things get really cold, is people bring in supplemental heaters to situations, and maybe they’re not mindful about the spacing and making sure that they don’t overwhelm appliances or electrical cords,” he explained.

The fire department also continues to warn about blocked exhaust pipes for appliances that burn fossil fuels, including furnaces, water heaters, and gas fireplaces.

Shea notes carbon monoxide detectors are now mandatory near bedrooms and on every floor of a home.