A $120,000 blaze that destroyed the back of a townhouse in Sylvan Lake has been blamed on “misuse of smoking material.”
Deputy fire chief Steve Scanland said the origin of the Nov. 22 fire was pinpointed to the back patio area of the home on Old Boomer Road.
Scanland said he couldn’t provide any more information on how exactly the smoking material sparked the blaze that did extensive damage to the townhouse and also damaged a neighbouring unit.
“We know the item and we know the area of origin and that’s about it,” he said.
A mother and her two children fled the home safely when the fire broke out sometime around 5:30 p.m. The father wasn’t at home at the time.
The family has since found another place to live while the home is repaired.
Sylvan Lake Community Housing and Victims Services have been helping the family.
The damage to the home is estimated at $100,000 to $120,000.
Eighteen volunteer firefighters responded to the fire that took about three hours to put out.