A Sault Ste. Marie Fire Services inspector is at a burnt-out house at 443 Second Avenue near Connaught Avenue today, trying to determine the cause of a weekend fire that provided a frightening experience for one local firefighter.
It took some time yesterday for firefighters to determine that the house was not occupied and was being cleaned so it could be rented.
The fire broke out there shortly after midnight on Sunday.
The house contained what Platoon Chief Rick Thomas described as "a lot of storage of odds and ends" including more than 20 cords of firewood in the basement.
A large portion of flooring in the one-storey house was burnt through, and at one point a firefighter plunged through the collapsing floor into the burning firewood beneath.
"He wasn't a happy camper down there," Thomas tells SooToday.com
Firefighters work in pairs and in this case, the "buddy" was able to quickly pull his colleague from the inferno below, with just a minor abdominal burn and a stretched tendon.
Because of the large amount of material in the house, it took six hours to bring the flames under control.
The house sustained extensive damage and may not be liveable again, Thomas said.
Foul play is not suspected.
The fire demonstrates the need for people to sometimes consider what they store in their houses, Thomas said.
More local news
Browse local flyers
Weather forecast
Find local deals
View local webcams
Verified Commenter, please