THUNDER BAY — A fire that extensively damaged a south-side Thunder Bay home on Saturday night has been traced to a pan of cooking oil that was left unattended on a stove.
Captain Kevin Anderson of Thunder Bay Fire Rescue says a male occupant of the residence, located on Almira Avenue off Rosslyn Road, "went to the living room to wait for it to warm up, and he fell asleep."
"He was very lucky to get out alive, because he had a smoke alarm but hadn't installed it yet. So he didn't have a smoke alarm to alert him to the fire," Anderson said Monday.
The man woke up in time to escape to safety, but required treatment by paramedics at the scene, and was taken to hospital for further assessment.
Anderson said the house is uninhabitable as a result of the fire, as there is significant fire, smoke and water damage.
However, he believes it is repairable.
Most of the fire damage is in the kitchen area, with some in the attic as well.
Firefighters were able to rescue the owner's cat.
