Heater causes house fire in Yellowknife Sunday night

A heater caused a house fire in Yellowknife on Sunday night, causing damage to a property in the Borden Drive area.

The pets and all of the people in the house were able to get out safely.

According to a news release from the City of Yellowknife, the fire department was dispatched to the house on Jeske Crescent at about 10:40 p.m.

"The caller stated that the underside of the home was engulfed in flames," the statement said.

The city says it was a "full group alert," with all off-duty and on-call firefighters called to the scene. Fifteen firefighters battled the fire in the –30 C temperatures. 

"Hose lines were set up in an attempt to hold the fire to the crawlspace. The fire spread into the structure and out through the roof," the release said.

A new heater, placed under the home to warm the water lines, has been determined as the cause of the fire.

The fire was contained to the house, with some minimal damage to a travel trailer parked a few feet beside it.

Ryan Walsh, who lives next door to the damaged house, said he saw the family quickly escape.

"I was scared. I felt really sad for the house and the people living there. It was really unfortunate for something like this to happen, especially around Christmas," he said.

Walsh said the fire was going until about 4 a.m. Monday, when firefighters put it out.

"They had a hard time controlling it for the most part but they thankfully got it," he said.

"They had to tear down the gates in front of our house to get through, but that's nothing compared to what good work they did controlling fire."