Cause of city fire 'undetermined,' fundraiser helping family

The cause of Wednesday’s house fire in Owen Sound is “undetermined,” Owen Sound Fire Chief Doug Barfoot said.

He wouldn’t speculate on any likely cause, but it’s not suspicious, he said Thursday. Firefighters held the scene overnight to allow Hydro One to investigate any electrical cause.

The homeowners, Barb and Andy McCaffrey, took back possession of their home at 848 8^thAve. E. about 9 a.m. Fencing and no trespassing signs were up around the house this morning.

A neighbour has started a Gofundme fundraiser which was $2,446 towards its $10,000 goal, thanks to 22 donors by 12:45 p.m. Thursday. Search “The McCaffrey’s” on that website to find it. The house was not ensured.

About 30 firefighters, city and Inter Township, responded to the fire call, which came in about 3:10 p.m., Barfoot said.

“The guys arriving on scene found a heavily involved fire on the back deck and working its way into the house. The guys did one great job saving that building,” Barfoot said.

“Again, to show up with something underway like that and still have the building still standing, and the heat conditions that we had to deal with, you have to complement all the firefighters that were there.”

City police in a news release Wednesday night said neighbours first reported seeing smoke and after a few minutes “the entire rear of the home was engulfed in flames.” Police credited a neighbour with opened the front door and let the family dog out.

Police also noted siding on the house next door was melted in the heat. A vinyl shed in the backyard of that home was also melted.

The McCaffreys weren’t home at the time of the fire. Both were at Owen Sound hospital, waiting for Barbara McCaffrey’s surgery scheduled for that evening, Andy said Wednesday. She broke her ankle Tuesday after tripping, he said.

He got a call 30 minutes after leaving the house to tell him it was on fire. The back of the house is heavily damaged, including the deck and porch areas. The garage is also heavily damaged.

McCaffrey said Wednesday’s hot weather left his deck so hot that it burnt his feet when he let the dog out at 1 p.m. He wondered if that contributed to the blaze and whether a propane table which was on the deck may have fuelled it.