BONNYVILLE – For Marge Woods, Oct. 22 started like any other day, but by mid-afternoon a project she had spent the last three years working on and improving would go up in flames in mere minutes.
On the chilly fall morning, Woods had walked out of the back of her house, across her yard and into her private sanctuary she had constructed out of a prefabricated greenhouse that she referred to as her “War Room.”
She described it as a place where she could go to pray and worship God. “Hence the name War Room,” she told Lakeland This Week.
Woods switched on a small infrared heater to preheat the small space in anticipation of a visit from a friend. It was going to be the last day Woods had planned on using her personal oasis and sanctuary until the following spring.
While the building warmed, Woods tended to errands she had in town.
“I stopped at the dollar store and then I saw the fire trucks coming. I didn't know where it was going,” Woods recalled, not thinking too much of it at the time.
She carried on and entered the store leaving her phone behind in the car. When Woods got back to her vehicle and looked down at her phone, she saw a message she never could have imagined.
"I have this text on my phone for my husband with the picture: ‘Your shed in flames,’” Woods paused thinking back. “I had a hard time driving home. I was so upset. I was beside myself.”
The Woods’ security camera showed that within five minutes the fire had engulfed nearly the entire wooden structure.
In 20 minutes, there would be nothing more of the greenhouse turned sanctuary than a charred wooden skeleton and ash. The only salvaged item that Woods found the next day was an intricate steel cross that was displayed in the outbuilding.
Bonnyville Regional Fire Authority (BRFA) members from Station 5 responded to the call at 1:40 p.m. By the time fire crews had arrived the flames had already disseminated the majority of the structure.
All that could be done was contain the blaze and make sure that the fire didn’t spread to nearby structures, said Woods.
An investigation determined the portable space heater was the cause of the fire, according to Dan Heney, the Regional Fire Chief of the BRFA.
Whether or not the first spark came from a mechanical issue inside the heater, a failing of the device’s electrical cord, or the extension cord bringing power to the heater – the ignition of fire had been traced back to the use of the portable heater, Heney explained.
“Mistakes happen, people underestimate the power of their devices whether that is a portable heater or a toaster – that’s not an indictment, that’s a statement. If you don’t know the risks, you are not always going to be aware of proper safety protocols,” said Heney.
“Running those heaters takes a big draw (of electricity) down the cord, and all that power can really start to heat up a cord or an extension cord. That’s why portable heaters should never be run full-time or autonomously.”
The investigation into the incident was classified as non-suspicious. Although fire had been caused by an unattended portable heater, there was no intent to cause a fire and was thus deemed accidental in nature.
For Woods, the loss of her outbuilding was a devastating blow. In 2018, she was gifted the shed by her late brother and was slowly transitioning it into a place that brought her immense peace.
The loss she incurred during the fire will not be easily replaced, however, after searching across the province she has already purchased another prefabricated outbuilding to recreate a new ‘War Room.’
Now, Woods is on the lookout for someone to help move the 10x12 ft. log cabin structure from Stony Plain to her yard in Bonnyville.
The new structure is already outfitted with a smoke detector, she says, adding that one of first things Woods and her husband purchased following the fire in October was a fire extinguisher in case of another emergency.
All that is left now is to pick up the cabin, which is beginning to pose a slight challenge.
The vehicle that had been arranged to transport the structure last week is no longer operational, leaving Woods in a bit of bind and a shortening timeline to collect her purchase.
Where there is a will, God will help her find a way, she says. “He always does.”
Things to think about when using portable heaters
Regional Fire Chief Dan Heney outlines the top safety measures to consider when using infrared or other portable heaters.
Remember that portable heaters are designed for temporary heat to increase comfort in an occupied room - NEVER use a portable heater if you are not in the room.
Portable heaters are not designed to run for long periods of time.
Ensure the unit is listed and labelled from Underwriters Laboratories (UL) or Underwriters Laboratories Canada (ULC). ULC is an independent product safety testing, certification and inspection organization.
Ensure that the portable heater has a built-in tip over shut-off and an overheat shut-off safety feature.
Only use portable heaters on sturdy, flat, level surfaces.
Portable heaters draw a lot of electricity so plug them directly into the wall outlet whenever possible, or use the shortest, large gauge extension cord as possible to minimize heat buildup in the cord.
Keep portable heaters at least three feet away from anything flammable.
Keep the heater clean and free of dust build up, as a buildup of dust can ignite.
Inspect the device's power cord every time you use it to ensure it has not degraded over time.
For people wanting to keep a room or outbuilding permanently heated, Heney says:
Only use heaters rated for the size of the space you are warming and that are designed to run autonomously.
Have the heater installed by a professional.
Keep the heater maintained properly and up to the codes outlined by the manufacturer.
