The inside of the home after the fire (Provided by Diamond)
A device left charging sparked a fire that sent smoke pouring out the window of a Hale Street building, forcing residents outside on Monday afternoon.
The London Fire Department (LFD) evacuated 680 Hale as firefighters fought the flames.
“It was scary for everyone,” said one apartment resident.
“It was out of nowhere. I was yelled at to come down, and there was just so much smoke,” said Diamond, who did not provide her last name. “It was terrible to go see the apartment.”
Diamond brought her dog out with her and couldn’t take her bird. But she was able to reunite the pets about an hour later, when firefighters said the building had been ventilated.
Smoke pouring out of the unit’s window as LFD put out the fire (Photo provided by Diamond)
The people who live in the unit where the blaze started weren’t home, said Brent Shea, LFD’s Platoon Chief Manager.
It’s not the first time this month that electronics have caused a dangerous situation. At the start of February, a fire erupted in a student’s backpack from a faulty portable charger.
When electronics are charged between cushions or on sheets, heat can build up quickly. This mundane action can lead to fires, Shea said.
It’s safer to charge devices on a hard surface, he said.
