Third abandoned house fire in Wellington County worries Puslinch fire chief

Steve Goode, the chief of Puslinch Fire and Rescue Services, says that a recent string of fires in abandoned houses are endangering firefighters and tying up emergency resources.

On Friday morning, firefighters were called to a fire at an 1860s-era abandoned home on Arkell Road, the third abandoned house fire east of Guelph in the last few weeks. The house was engulfed in flames when firefighters arrived and it took a few hours to extinguish it.

"One of the questions a 911 operator will ask is if there is entrapment or if there is anyone inside and because the bystanders making the calls don't know...we treat the fire like there is someone inside," he said.

Goode says the fire department is treating this fire as arson.

"There are no other factors that could cause such a house to erupt in flames. There is no hydro to it, it's not occupied so that eliminates many things," said Goode. "Lightning was not existent at the time," he added.

"We are not suggesting that there is a connection, however, we do have to consider the facts and the facts are that we have abandoned houses that are being potentially lit...we are pretty confident that they are being lit," he said.

The first abandoned house fire was reported on Oct.14 on Third Line. Less than a week later on Oct.19, a second abandoned house fire was also reported on Third Line, less than a kilometre away. 

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The abandoned houses are all tucked away from the roadway, so no one can see the fire until it erupts beyond the roof, according to Goode.   

Fires taking a toll

Goode says that these house fires are taking a toll on firefighters, and tying up trucks and other resources from both Puslinch and Guelph-Eramosa Fire Departments, which means they're not available to respond to other emergencies.

For example, firefighters needed to shuttle 20,000 gallons of water from a fire hydrant in Guelph, several kilometres away from the site on Arkell Road.  

But, Goode said, the fires are also putting firefighters at risk and as a result, he says homeowners of abandoned houses should take more responsibility and keep a closer eye on their properties.

Because the homes are old and aren't being maintained, it's riskier for firefighters to enter those buildings.

The Ontario Fire Marshal is now looking into the string of fires. Wellington County OPP and officers from the Forensic Identification Services Unit also continue to investigate.

"It's very difficult to find a cause when there is such extensive damage," said Goode.

Damage for this fire is estimated to be $150,000.