No one was injured and damage was limited to minor water and smoke exposure following a house fire on Highlands Road Tuesday.
Dryden Fire Chief Ryan Murrell says crews from both hall 1 and hall 2 were dispatched to the unoccupied residence around 1:30pm.
Murrell says the blaze was identified and extinguished in about a half hour thanks to working smoke and carbon monoxide alarms.
He notes neighbours are encouraged to call 9-1-1 if they hear a working alarm, because that early alert helped stop the spread of the blaze.
Murrell says the cause has been narrowed down to the fireplace.
Murrell points out that they have some important messages that they try to get out at this time of year:
#1: Have all your chimney’s cleaned and inspected every year.
#2: Have any heating system inspected annually by a qualified service technician.
#3: Make sure you install a working Carbon Monoxide alarm, especially if you have a wood burning appliance. This is law and will alert you of the presence of any kind of carbon monoxide in the house.
#4: Protect your home from sparks. If you have a fireplace, use a fire screen and make sure you dispose of all ashes in a metal container, preferably outside the house, with a tight fitting lid.
#5: Make sure you have a working smoke alarm on all floors in your home, outside all rooms.
