Oil furnaces involved in both Ellerslie, Covehead weekend fires
The P.E.I. Fire Marshal's office has determined the causes of two weekend fires.
Ellerslie-Bideford garage fire
The first fire previously under investigation was a garage fire reported on Sunday at 11 a.m. on Winston Barlow Road in Ellerslie-Bideford. According to the Fire Marshal's Office on Monday, the fire was caused by a fault with an oil-fired furnace's burner that ignited nearby combustibles.
Tyne Valley Fire Department Chief William Bishop said the garage was totally gutted and the owner lost all of the tools that he needs to make a living. Bishop added that it took about two hours to get the fire under control. Firefighters were able to keep the fire from spreading to the house about nine metres away.
The Lennox Island Fire Department also responded to the fire.
Archery club in Covehead
The Fire Marshal's Office determined that the cause of a fire Saturday morning in Covehead at the Cass' Creek Archery Club also involved an oil-fired furnace.
The North Shore Fire Department located near the archery club responded to the fire.
Besides damage to the building, the fire also destroyed high-end archery equipment valued in the tens of thousands of dollars. The fire department said it took about 20 minutes to put out the fire.
The cause of the fire was determined to be fire blockage in the building's oil-fired furnace's exhaust vent that set the exterior wall on fire.
Reminder about oil-fired furnaces
Given the similar causes in both incidents, the Fire Marshal's Office issued a reminder to Islanders that to have their oil-fired heating appliances serviced if they are not functioning properly or leaving sooty deposits. Also, the appliances should be checked if they are slow to start or making different noises.
One weekend fire remains under investigation. On Saturday at 1:28 p.m., the Charlottetown Fire Department responded to a four-unit apartment fire at 282 and 284 University Ave.
No one was injured, but five people have been displaced as a result of the fire.
Fire Chief Randy MacDonald said smoke and water damage to the units is extensive. He added that the fire started in one of the second-floor units, but the cause likely won't be determined until Friday.
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