A simple mistake with a stove is what led to a kitchen fire on the fourth floor at Chartwell Langley Gardens Retirement Community on Wednesday morning.
A 95-year-old resident, who lived on her own in the suite, placed an electronic device on the stove and accidentally turned the burner on. The device caught fire and spread to her kitchen cabinets above. Thankfully, the building's sprinkler system activated and had doused the flames by the time Township firefighters arrived, Township assistant fire chief Pat Walker told the Times.
The woman was taken to hospital with possible smoke inhalation, and has since been released. She has also been given another room in the building for Christmas.
"It was a great example of how the sprinkler protection made the world of a difference," Walker said.
"It shows you that the sprinkler systems are a valuable part of the big suppression tool that we use to maintain safety in our community."
- with files from Miranda Gathercole