Overloaded electrical wiring is being investigated as the cause of a house fire at an Oyama Road residence near Hebbert Road on Sunday night that caused an estimated $25,000 damage.
Lake Country Fire Chief Steve Windsor said the fire was reported about 8 p.m. and firefighters responded to the scene from the Oyama and Winfield halls.
Windsor said the fire was ultimately caused by the electrical wiring stretching from a nearby hydro pole into the home, specifically where the wiring was extended within a tube casing.
“It became extremely hot within that tubing and we had to do quite a bit of cutting in the ceiling drywall and exterior stucco to get at it,” Windsor said, noting everyone escaped the fire without injury.
He said the overheating tripped the hydro pole breaker, essentially cutting off power to the house, home to a family of four.
“It was definitely not the smart meter because it was not damaged,” said Windsor of early reports on the cause.
Windsor said while the investigation is continuing, there are some lessons to be taken from this particular house fire.
“It would seem the electrical system was overloaded, drawing more power into the house than the system could handle,” Windsor said.
“It’s important to get a certified electricians with the proper permits to do electrical work. If may cost you a little more but you make sure it gets done right.”
As well, smoke detectors were found in a drawer having not been installed yet.
“So we were lucky this fire didn’t happen in the middle of the night. If you purchase smoke alarms make sure they are installed as quickly as possible.”
