A Sheffield family has been forced out of their home after a fire.
Residents of the home called the Hamilton Fire Department at around 5:20 p.m. Saturday. Their barbecue caught fire after it was turned on. The residents said the tank ignited, and then exploded. The patio caught fire and it quickly spread to the house.
“When units were responding they did see smoke as they approached, and when they got to the house, it’s a two storey home, they found heavy fire and smoke at the back of the property,” said Claudio Mostacci, with the Hamilton Fire Department.
The co-owner of the property told CTV News that he was in the field behind his house when the fire started. By the time he ran to back the fire had spread.
Fire crews described it as a stubborn fire, burning for about two hours. There were about 17 trucks on the scene, including several tankers.
“It’s in a rural part of Hamilton. It has no hydrants, all the tanker trucks had a shuttle system going to provide water for the firefighting to extinguish the fire,” Mostacci explained.
“It was a very long extensive battle with this fire, as it proved difficult because it got into a number of walls and ceilings so they had to all be pulled down,” he continued.
Everyone got out of the house safely. There were no injuries. The family is living in a trailer on the property.
Fire officials estimate the damage at $300,000.
Mostacci stressed that it is important to check the tank and hoses on your barbecue.
“Once you ignite your barbecue, if you’re not aware of those leaks then as the propane increases in amounts in those areas it will ignite,” he said.
