The HRFE Fire Prevention Division investigates significant structure fires in HRM, to determine where the fire started (area of origin) and what started the fire (ignition source). The following summaries provide an overview of recent investigations we have completed.

81 Lakecrest Drive, Dartmouth
13 March, 2010

This fire involved a three storey apartment building. There were no injuries and no fatalities. This file has been turned over to the Halifax Regional Police for further investigation. The cause of this fire is classified as INCENDIARY.

30043 Highway #7, Necum Teuch
12 March, 2010

This fire involved a single family home. There were no injuries and no fatalities. The building was totally destroyed by fire. The area of origin and the source of ignition could not be determined. The cause of this fire is classified as UNDETERMINED.

165 Victoria Road, Dartmouth
12 March, 2010

This fire involved a three storey apartment building. There were no injuries and no fatalities. Fire Investigators have determined that this fire originated in a mattress in a bedroom. The ignition source could not be determined. The cause of this fire is classified as UNDETERMINED.

19 Dundas Street, Dartmouth
3 March, 2010

This fire involved a residential apartment building. There were no injuries and no fatalities. This file has been turned over to the Halifax Regional Police for further investigation. The cause of this fire is classified as INCENDIARY.

112 Pinecrest Drive, Dartmouth
2 March, 2010

This fire involved a three-storey apartment building. There was one fatality and no other injuries. Fire Investigators have determined that this fire originated in the master bedroom of an upstairs apartment. The ignition source was matches or a hand held lighter. The cause of this fire is classified as INCENDIARY.

298 Portland Street, Dartmouth
21 February, 2010

This fire involved a 3 storey residential building. There were no injuries and no fatalities. Fire Investigators have determined that this fire originated in the living room couch. The ignition source was unattended candles. The cause of this fire is classified as ACCIDENTAL.

7208 St Margaret's Bay Road, Boutlier's Point
19 February, 2010

This fire involved a boat repair, sales and storage facility. There were no injuries and no fatalities. Fire Investigators have determined that this fire originated in the furnace room of the wooden sales/service building of the business. The ignition source could not be determined. The cause of this fire is classified as ACCIDENTAL.

15 Bryden Avenue, Halifax
11 February, 2010

This fire involved a residential structure. There were no injuries and no fatalities. Fire Investigators have determined that this fire originated in the chimney of a unoccupied home on the property. The fire spread from the chimney and burned through the roof. The ignition source was wood scraps which were being burned in the fireplace. The cause of this fire is classified as ACCIDENTAL.

1161 Hollis Street
10 February, 2010

This fire involved a commercial office building and rail station. There were no injuries and no fatalities. Fire Investigators have determined that this fire originated inside a window frame on the second floor of the building. The ignition source was a grinder, which was being use by workers on the outside of the building to remove the windows. The cause of this fire is classified as ACCIDENTAL.

9 Herring Cove Wharf Lane, Herring Cove
10 February, 2010

This fire involved a two and a half storey fish shed. There were no injuries and no fatalities. This file has been turned over to the Halifax Regional Police for further investigation. The cause of this fire is classified as INCENDIARY.

32 Symonds Street, Dartmouth
7 February, 2010

This fire involved a residential structure. There were no injuries and no fatalities. There were no operating smoke alarms in the area of the fire. Fire Investigators have determined that this fire originated in a crawl space in the home. The ignition source was a blow torch which was being used to thaw frozen water pipes. The cause of this fire is classified as ACCIDENTAL.

23 Erskine Street, Dartmouth
6 February, 2010

This fire involved a residential structure. There were no injuries and no fatalities. Fire Investigators have determined that this fire originated underneath an elevated children's play structure outside the home. The fire destroyed the play house and an attached shed. The fire damaged the exterior of a home and a garage. The probable ignition source was ash from a tobacco pipe. The cause of this fire is classified as ACCIDENTAL.

12 Harmes Drive, Eastern Passage
1 February, 2010

This fire involved a residential structure. There were no injuries and no fatalities. Fire Investigators have determined that this fire originated in the garage, which is attached to the home. The ignition source was the electric compressor and motor of a refrigerator which was operating in the garage. The cause of this fire is classified as ACCIDENTAL.

5561 Weatherwood Court, Halifax
29 January, 2010

This fire involved a five-storey residential condominium building. There were no fatalities. One adult male was transported to hospital with serious signs of smoke inhalation. Fire Investigators have determined that this fire originated in the kitchen of a condominium on the third floor. The ignition source was a burner on the stove, which was found by firefighters in the "on" position. This burner ignited a cardboard box of food items which had been left on the stove top. The cause of this fire is classified as ACCIDENTAL.

114 Lakewood Drive, Brookside
21 January, 2010

This fire involved a residential structure. There were no injuries and no fatalities. Fire Investigators have determined that this fire originated in the utility room in the basement level of the home. The ignition source was a malfunctioning air exchanger. The cause of this fire is classified as ACCIDENTAL.

500 John Grant Back Road, Meaghers Grant
18 January, 2010

This fire involved a residential structure. There was one injury, which involved minor burns to a man's hand. Fire Investigators have determined that this fire originated in the kitchen. The ignition source was cooking oil which was being heated in a pot on the stove. The cause of this fire is classified as ACCIDENTAL.

42 Skeena Street, Dartmouth
January 14, 2010

This fire involved a residential structure. There were no injuries and no fatalities, but two cats died as a result of this fire. This file has been turned over to the Halifax Regional Police for further investigation. The cause of this fire is classified as INCENDIARY.

5167 South Street, Halifax
January 12, 2010

This fire involved a mixed residential and business building. There were no injuries and no fatalities. Investigators have determined that this fire originated in a wall void space in a closet on the first floor. The ignition source was electrical wiring. The cause of this fire is classified as ACCIDENTAL.

226 Portland Street, Dartmouth
January 1, 2010

This fire involved a residential rooming house/ apartment building. There were no injuries and no fatalities. Investigators have determined that this fire originated in the kitchen/ living room area of Apartment # 7. The ignition source could not be determined. The cause of this fire is classified as ACCIDENTAL.

59 Village Road, Herring Cove
December 31, 2009

This fire involved a construction trailer. There were no injuries and no fatalities. Investigators have determined that this fire originated inside the trailer on the west wall. The ignition source could not be determined. The cause of this fire is classified as UNDETERMINED.

19 Rodney Road, Dartmouth
December 30, 2009

This fire involved a residential apartment building. There were no injuries and no fatalities. This file has been turned over to the Halifax Regional Police for further investigation. The cause of this fire is classified as INCENDIARY.

19 Shepherd Road, Halifax
December 23, 2009

This fire involved a residential structure. There were no injuries and no fatalities. There were no operating smoke alarms in the area of the fire. Investigators have determined that this fire originated in the living room. The ignition source was an electric baseboard heater which was in direct contact with a couch and curtains. The couch had been pushed up against the baseboard heater. The cause of this fire is classified as ACCIDENTAL.

22 Alan Street Extension, Sackville
December 19, 2009

This fire involved a residential structure. There were no injuries and no fatalities. Investigators have determined that this fire originated in the northeast corner of the living room. The ignition source was unattended candles which were being used too close to combustible materials. The cause of this fire is classified as ACCIDENTAL.

1893 Albemarle Street, Halifax
December 16, 2009

This fire involved a commercial retail/office complex. There were no injuries and no fatalities. Fire Officers on scene have determined that this fire originated in an expansion joint between concrete structural wall members on the outside of the building. The ignition source of this fire was a contractors torch which was being used to dry out the expansion joint prior to sealing it. Burning materials dropped down and burned an area of the expansion joint approximately 15 feet long. The cause of this fire is classified as ACCIDENTAL.

1 Hazel Street, Sackville
December 11, 2009

This fire involved a residential structure. There were no injuries and no fatalities. Investigators have determined that this fire originated in the kitchen. The ignition source of this fire was a cardboard pizza box which had been left on the right front burner of the stove. This fire spread to upper kitchen cabinets, which contained three 1-pound propane cylinders. Two of the cylinders vented their contents through their relief valves. One of the cylinders ruptured violently, causing damage to the structure. The cause of this fire is classified as ACCIDENTAL.

22 Orange Walk, Halifax
December 4, 2009

This fire involved a residential structure. There were no injuries and no fatalities. Investigators have determined that this fire originated in the storage room under the stairs on the main level. The ignition source for this fire was an electrical malfunction in the hot water heater in the storage room. The cause of this fire is classified as ACCIDENTAL.

Hwy 7, Pace Settlement
December 2, 2009

This fire involved a storage garage used to store lobster traps and commercial fishing equipment. There were no injuries and no fatalities. Investigators have determined that this fire originated in the southeast corner on the inside of the building. The ignition source for this fire was an electric baseboard heater which ignited combustible material in front of it. The cause of this fire is classified as ACCIDENTAL.

1015 Cow Bay Road, Cow Bay
November 29, 2009

This fire involved a large warehouse/storage building. There were no injuries and no fatalities. The building was destroyed. Investigators have determined that this fire originated in the northwest corner on the inside of the building. The ignition source of the fire could not be determined, and no natural ignition source could be identified in the area of origin. This file has been turned over to the RCMP for further investigation. The cause of this fire is classified as INCENDIARY.

11171 Peggy's Cove Road, Seabright
November 27, 2009

This fire involved a residential structure. There were no injuries and no fatalities. There were no operating smoke alarms in the area of the fire. Investigators have determined that this fire originated in the kitchen. The ignition source of the fire was an electrical malfunction in a microwave oven which was located on a wooden shelf in the kitchen cabinets. The cause of this fire is classified as ACCIDENTAL.

120 Main Street, Dartmouth
November 26, 2009

This fire involved a restaurant. There were no injuries and no fatalities. Investigators have determined that this fire originated at the server station on the main level of the restaurant. The ignition source of this fire is still under investigation in cooperation with Halifax Regional Police. The cause of this fire is classified as INCENDIARY.

2416 Agricola Street, Halifax
November 16, 2009

This fire involved a commercial/residential building. There were no injuries and no fatalities. There were no operating smoke alarms in the area of the fire. Investigators have determined that this fire originated in the bedroom of a vacant apartment on the second floor. The ignition source of this fire was discarded smoking materials which ignited a mattress. The cause of this fire is classified as ACCIDENTAL.

1117 Hwy 277, Dutch Settlement
November 16, 2009

This fire involved a residential structure. One occupant received burns to the face, ears and hands while trying to extinguish the fire. Investigators have determined that this fire originated in the kitchen. The ignition source of the fire was cooking oil in an open pot, being used for deep frying. The cause of this fire is classified as ACCIDENTAL.

697 Windmill Road, Dartmouth
November 13, 2009

This fire involved a cabin cruiser. There were no injuries and no fatalities. Investigators have determined that the fire originated in the forward head (washroom) on the starboard (right) side of the boat. The ignition source of the fire could not be determined. The cause of this fire is classified as UNDETERMINED.

5 Parkstone Road, Halifax
November 8, 2009

This fire involved a residential structure. There were no injuries and no fatalities. There were no operating smoke alarms found in the building. Investigators have determined that this fire originated on the front porch. The ignition source of this fire is under investigation. The investigation into this fire is continuing, in cooperation with Halifax Regional Police. The cause of this fire is classified as UNDER INVESTIGATION.

77 Bruce Drive, Ship Harbour
October 14, 2009

This fire involved a residential cottage. There were no injuries and no fatalities. The cottage was completely destroyed. Investigators were unable to determine the area of origin or the ignition source of the fire. The cause of this fire is classified as UNDETERMINED.

409 Shore Road, West Chezzetcook
October 14, 2009

This fire involved a large two bay garage which was in use as an auto body shop. There was one minor injury and no fatalities. The building and equipment in it were destroyed. Investigators have determined that the fire originated in the right side bay of the garage. The ignition source of this fire was welding equipment which ignited the plastic wheel well liner of a vehicle which was being repaired. The cause of this fire is classified as ACCIDENTAL.

1538 Beaverbank Road, Beaverbank
23 September, 2009

This fire involved a combined community center and fire station. There were no injuries and no fatalities. Investigators have determined this fire originated on the rear patio deck which was located on the second level of the structure. The ignition source of this fire could not be determined. The cause of this fire is classified as UNDETERMINED.