Timmins Street house fire a total loss

Hundreds of people filled Timmins Street just behind Boart Longyear and The Beer Store this evening to get a closer look at fire that left one man homeless.

North Bay Fire Fighters from three stations responded to a house fire call at 168 Timmins Street 6:39pm Sunday evening.

When the crews arrived on scene they discovered the house fully involved and that the lone occupant was safe at a neighbour’s house.

“He was here and noticed an issue,” states Deputy Fire Chief Grant Love.

“He left and called 911 ... that was the right thing to do.”

Grant says that the investigation is underway but early reports point to the fire starting when something went wrong with the barbeque which then led to the vinyl siding and wooden deck erupting in flames.

Love said the 16 firefighters did a great job of containing the fire to the one location with high winds and another house close-by.

“It was a good fight, they took a defensive attack ... and knocked it down in about 20 minutes,” he states.

He also noted that the gas containers and propane tanks that could be seen from the street were moved as a preventative measure.

“At one point there was a possibility of them burning so they moved them,” states Love.

The homeowner is insured and early estimates peg the damages at $150,000 to $200,000.

“From our point of view the house is a total loss,” states Love.