Pot left on stove blamed for smoke filling downtown Nelson apartment
By Nelson Daily Staff
A pot left on a stove-top element was blamed for smoke filling an apartment on Ward Street Wednesday morning in Nelson.
Nelson Fire Department dispatched the day crew to a call at 10:49 a.m. Wednesday of the smell of smoke in a commercial business.
When the on-duty members arrived with an engine, it was determined that the odor of smoke was not coming from the commercial property.
The crew’s next objective was to find the source of the smoke.
Crews investigated the area and concentrated their search on one residential apartment which was four stories above the initial caller’s location.
Firefighters found the smoke-filled room with a pot of food on the stove with the burner on maximum heat.
The smoke alarm in the apartment was connected but not functioning.
Nelson Fire Department said early notification was a key factor in avoiding a more serious fire loss in Nelson’s downtown core.
Firefighters report year after year, stove/range top burners prove to be the leading cause of residential fires in British Columbia.
Nelson Fire & Rescue Services would like to take this opportunity to remind everyone to ensure that smoke alarms are working and to never leave a stove top burner unattended while cooking.
