50 fires caused by improperly discarded smoking materials in Ottawa this year

Ottawa firefighters are warning of improperly discarded smoking materials that have caused dozens of fires this year. CTV’s Katie Griffin reports.

A fire in Findlay Creek that displaced eight people and injured two firefighters last week was caused by improperly discarded smoking materials and was preventable, Ottawa Fire Services say.

Crews were called to a townhouse on Cache Bay Crescent just before 5 a.m. on Aug. 13.

“The fire started on the exterior and spread to the vinyl siding. That vinyl siding’s like liquid gasoline, it just goes up the house into the windows, breaches the windows and then it spreads into the house,” said Jimmy Fata, assistant division chief in the fire investigation unit.

“Especially under these conditions where it’s hot, everything’s dry, make sure your cigarette is properly put out and I don’t mean a couple of taps and then you throw it to the ground. Put it in a can of water, put it in an ashtray properly.”

Eight people were displaced by the blaze that spread to both the attached unit and the one beside it. One woman in a basement had to be rescued by firefighters.

Two firefighters suffered heat exhaustion. One was transported to hospital and released later that day.

So far in Ottawa this year, firefighters say 50 fires have been caused by improperly discarded smoking materials.

“Every year, it’s one of the top two preventable causes of a fire in Ottawa along with unattended cooking,” said Nick DeFazio, public information officer for Ottawa Fire Services.

Fire crews have also had to douse several grass fires along Highway 401 in the last week caused by someone tossing a cigarette out of a moving vehicle, according to the Quinte West Fire and Emergency Services Department.

It’s happening locally too.

“We have had several small grass fires started on the 416,” said Ottawa OPP Const. Michael Fathi.

“I would highly recommend people to not flick their cigarettes out the window. It’s also considered littering so if you are seen, it’s $110 a ticket.”

A burn ban for Ottawa remains in effect over the drier than normal conditions this summer.

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