Cornwall Fire Services responded to an active fire situation at 353 Thirteenth St. W., just east of Cumberland Street on Tuesday afternoon.
“I came home to pick up my truck and I noticed there was smoke on the side of the garage,” said homeowner Joseph Gauthier. “I’m just glad everybody is OK in the house.”
Firefighters, Cornwall SDG Paramedic Services, and the Cornwall Police Service were quick to respond to the scene. The investigation determined the fire’s cause was electrical, from a space heater left plugged in an unattended.
“Our dispatch received reports of a shed on fire,” said platoon chief Brian Ward. “We had a quick knock-down of the fire.”
According to Ward, Cornwall Fire Services responded with three trucks and 11 personnel to combat the fire. Ward said that there was some heat risk to Gauthier’s home.
Motorists travelling along Thirteenth Street West were diverted as emergency services tended to the incident.
A city statement released Wednesday morning quoted Fire Chief and deputy CAO Matthew Stephenson encouraging residents to turn off and unplug space heaters when leaving the area where they’re in use.