Space heater to blame for fire in Brandon apartment suite

Firefighters are warning homeowners to be careful when using space heaters after a fire caused by an unattended space heater forced the evacuation of a Brandon apartment block Saturday.

Crews were called to the fire in a suite at an apartment at 534 Louise Avenue shortly after noon.

Captain Don Matthews of the Brandon Fire & Emergency Services said the man who lives in the suite had left the apartment for a few minutes with a space heater running when the fire started.

He said the space heater ignited a mattress while the man was out.

"Some of the new (space heaters) get really hot, so it doesn't take much to start some papers or fabric on fire," said Matthews.

"So the main message here would be don't put space heaters close to combustibles and don't leave them unattended."

Firefighters were able to keep the fire contained to the one suite, but the nine-suite building had to be evacuated because of smoke, said Matthews.

No one was injured in the fire, and residents were allowed back into the building later Saturday.

Damages to the suite are estimated at $30,000.

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