Disabled smoke alarm results in North Bay structural fire

North Bay Fire department

A North Bay-area tenant has been charged with disabling a smoke alarm after a late morning fire on the 900-block of Premier Road on Friday.

Deputy Fire Chief Greg Saunders said multiple fire crews responded to the structural fire around 11:30 a.m., in an email to CTV News.

“Firefighters entered the home and extinguished the fire in one of the bedrooms,” Saunders said.

“Nobody was in the home at the time of the fire.”

The deputy fire chief said there was significant smoke damage to the home but little damage from the fire itself as crews were able to respond quickly and get the flames under control.

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In the email, North Bay Fire and Emergency Services said carelessly discarded smoking materials was determined to be the cause of the fire.

Careless smoking is a leading cause of fires and fire fatalities in Ontario.

The fire department provided a list of safe smoking practices to reduce the risk of a fire:

• Smoke outside and away from combustible materials
• Extinguish smoking materials fully and soak in water prior to disposal
• Be extra cautious smoking while drinking alcohol or taking medication
• Never empty the contents of an ashtray into a garbage bin without ensuring everything is properly extinguished
• Never smoke in bed
• Keep lighters and matches out of children’s reach

A charge of disabling a smoke alarm carries a $360 fine, under the Ontario Fire Code.