Close call for Regina firefighter during 2nd fire at vacant house

A Regina firefighter had a terrifying close call Thursday morning when he fell through the floor a building while fighting a fire.

Regina Fire & Protective Services were called to 1763 Toronto Street around 2:15 a.m. The house was boarded up, and no one was inside at the time.

Fire Chief Ernie Polsom said the fire was extensive through the home and proved to be very difficult to put out. At one point a firefighter fell from the second floor to the main level of the building, but he wasn’t seriously hurt.

The firefighters were following proper procedures when it happened, but Polsom said the fire department will analyze the events to see if they can improve.

This was the second fire in that home this week. The first was on Monday, and was deemed to have been set on purpose. Thursday’s fire is being treated as suspicious.

Polsom wasn’t amused by what happened.

“Through the negligence and bad behaviour of folks in our community, it’s putting our professionals at risk.”

Polsom said though the firefighter is fine, this is the kind of thing that can contribute to PTSD, and critical incident stress, which are concerns in his industry. He said the situation could have been worse.

“He could very easily have fallen and suffered life, or career-ending injuries.”

There have been a run of arsons in the city this fall and winter, according to Polsom.

He said there are two problems they’re dealing with that contribute to these issues. The first is property owners who don’t take the proper steps to secure their properties, and the second is people who commit arson.

“Both are illegal activities, and both are activities that put my staff, our professionals at risk every single day.”

Polsom explained the city has been developing a strategy for abandoned, vacant, and fire-damaged buildings.

He said he wants people to maintain their properties, and for people to keep their eyes open.

“It’s only a matter of time before one of these set fires, one of these crimes of opportunity, is going to result in the death of somebody – a civilian or a firefighter.”

Fire on 1700 Blk Toronto. Unoccupied home. Fire extinguished with no injuries. Cause under investigation. #RFPS pic.twitter.com/F3ZBQIUCfG

— Regina Fire (@Regina_Fire) January 21, 2016

Neighbour concerned by multiple house fires on block

“That is pretty concerning,” Brenda Ross said after learning the house just a few doors down from her home may have been set on fire on purpose, for a second time.

She remembers the first fire on Monday night. She said they smelled smoke, and her husband went outside to see what was going on.

Early Thursday morning she said she woke up with her child, and heard big trucks outside.

“There was fire engines all over again, and I could hear water, like their sprays, working.”

Ross said this is the fourth fire on that street in about a year and a half. One of the fires came close to spreading to their home.

“This house next to us caught on fire and we were really nervous, because we were outside, watching, thinking our house was going to catch on fire, but it didn’t,” she said.

Due to the suspicious circumstances of each fire, Ross said they’re not too worried about the same thing happening to them. But they do take precautions – their gate has a lock, and they made sure to build the second floor with fire protection in the walls.