Hot clothes sparked fire

Errant clothing was most likely the cause of a Monday night fire on Ahbau Street.

The blaze did a lot of damage to the interior of the residence, but firefighters were able to prevent it from gutting the structure or from extending to adjacent properties.

"The fire has been deemed accidental, and was most probably caused by clothing piled on top of an electric baseboard heater in a bedroom on the main floor," said Prince George fire chief John Lane said. "Inspectors from the Electrical Safety Authority attended the scene, and ruled out an electrical cause."

It is a good example for the public to understand the importance of paying attention to the area around all heating and cooking devices. Manufacturers of heat-generating appliances provide specifications for distances to keep clear, said Lane, and those should be looked up if you have any ideas about putting items near them.

Making this fire on Ahbau Street worse was a steady supply of oxygen. The bedroom window was open at the time.

"An effective interior fire attack prevented smoke and fire damage from extending beyond the suite of origin," Lane said. "Superficial damage also resulted to the eaves immediately above the window, which was also minimized by firefighting efforts."

The fire happened at about 9:30 p.m. Monday in Ahbau Street's 600 block. There were no injuries to residents, passersby or firefighters.