AIRDRIE, ALBERTA – On Monday, April 26, 2021 at 1:58 p.m. the Airdrie Fire Department (AFD) responded to the report of structure fire located in the 100 block of Ridgebrook Drive SW.
When fire crews arrived on scene, they found light smoke conditions showing from the interior of the attached front garage of a two-storey, residential home.
Firefighters were met by the homeowner who advised that while attempting to remove and replace a vehicle fuel tank, residual gasoline vapours were ignited by a power drill.
Initial attempts to extinguish the blaze were made by the homeowner with the use of a portable fire extinguisher.
An alert bystander entered the garage and pulled the burning material outside to the front parking pad where it was fully extinguished with water from a garden hose.
The homeowner received minor burns to his hand and received treatment from AFD prior to his being transferred to the care of Alberta Health Services paramedics on scene.
Once it was confirmed that the fire had been completely extinguished, firefighters conducted a thorough inspection of the interior of the garage to ensure that fire had not extended.
The Fire Prevention Bureau has determined the cause of the fire to be ignition of gasoline vapours due to an external ignition source.
Damage has been estimated at $3000.
Initial fire response included five pieces of apparatus and fourteen firefighters.
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Media contact:
Deputy Chief Garth Rabel
403.948.8800 ext. 7612