A man whose trailer was flooded in the 2018 freshet nearly lost his makeshift home to a chimney fire Wednesday, Nov. 18.
Sixty-year-old Brad McAdie and his 10-year-old Jack Russell, Rupert, moved in to a converted workshop at 435 Gilpin Rd. after the flood waters receded and his on-site trailer became infested with black mould, he told The Gazette. McAdie said he heats the one-room space with a wood-burning stove.
READ MORE: Grand Forks buyout residents ask for DMAF review
READ MORE: Buyouts for flood mitigation to cost $5 million more than expected
He and Rupert were listening to music at around 9 a.m. when McAdie said he heard the sound of burning wood.
“I’m really, really lucky,” McAdie said.
“I was listening to AC/DC’s new album. Usually, I would have my headphones in, but this morning, I didn’t. I was listening to one of the songs, and I heard crackling I thought was a sound-effect. But when I turned off the music, I could hear that it was coming from outside.”
Hot air had escaped from a break in the stove’s chimney, setting fire to a wooden truss and fibreglass insulation between the walls, Deputy Fire Chief Rich Piché explained. McAdie doused the flames with water he poured out of plastic milk containers.
Piché found a lingering hot-spot within the walls using a thermal-imaging camera. Firefighters from Grand Forks Fire/Rescue then cut into the building with a chainsaw, removing a piece of fibreglass Piché said had heated to about 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
Piché recommended that McAdie install a smoke detector inside the workshop, adding that McAdie was fortunate to have caught the fire in time.
“If he hadnt’ve been home today, that would’ve been a full structure fire — guaranteed,” Piché explained.
No one was hurt in Wednesday’s fire, according to Piché. Rupert was visibly shaken by the noise and excitement, but was otherwise unharmed.
McAdie said he will install a smoke detector and fully repair his chimney.
@ltritsch1
laurie.tritschler@grandforksgazette.caLike us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter.
