A London family narrowly escaped a potentially deadly fire early Saturday morning, thanks to working smoke alarms.
London Fire Department crews responded to a basement fire at a home on Martinet Avenue in the city’s east end. The alarms woke the occupants, allowing them to evacuate safely before firefighters arrived. Crews encountered heavy smoke and intense heat upon entering the home, initially forcing them back from the basement. Limited visibility and heavy clutter made it difficult to locate the source of the fire.
After completing a full exterior assessment, firefighters identified a damaged basement window glowing with fire. Crews then re-entered, navigating through combustible materials and debris, and found a basement bedroom that had been largely destroyed by the blaze. The fire was contained, and no one was inside the home at the time.
The residents were treated at hospital for smoke and carbon monoxide inhalation and are expected to recover. A fire inspector is investigating the cause and origin of the fire, with London police standing by pending the results.
Fire officials emphasized the importance of maintaining clear access to basements, particularly when bedrooms are located below ground, and stressed that functioning smoke alarms played a critical role in saving lives.