Update: Damages assessed – Blazing fire destroys home in Kingston’s east end

Update (Friday, Aug. 19, 2022)
Kingston Fire and Rescue have now provided further details regarding the residential fire on Mangan Boulevard, which occurred on Thursday, Aug. 18, 2022.

As the investigation into the cause of the fire continues, the local fire department’s work did not end when the flames were extinguished in the late afternooon that day. A fire watch was conducted over night to ensure no hot spots flared up, reigniting the blaze, Kingston Fire and Rescue relayed on Friday, Aug. 19, 2022.

While Fire Prevention has completed the on-scene portion of the investigation, the Electrical Safety Authority has now been called in to assist Kingston Fire and Rescue in the fire investigation.

Although the cause of the fire remains unknown at this time, Kingston Fire and Rescue said that the cost of damages to the property due to the fire are estimated at $400,000.

Kingstonist will provide further updates if/when more information becomes available.

Original article:
Firefighters with Kingston Fire and Rescue had their work cut out for them, as they battled a massive residential fire in the city’s east end all afternoon, with temperatures outside already reaching 29 C in Kingston.

The fire broke out just before 1 p.m. on Thursday, Aug. 18, 2022, which is when the local fire department was called to the scene. Despite the substantial blaze, no mutual aid from neighbouring fire departments was required, explained Fire Chief Shawn Armstrong.

“We looked after it with five stations responding with both water tankers and staff on pumpers. They were met with heavy flame and smoke, and Assistant Deputy James Carscallen then arrived on the scene,” Armstrong said, standing alongside the property where the fire broke out in the 4000 block of Mangan Boulevard, which runs parallel to Highway 15, in the area referred to as Brewers Mills in Kingston’s east end..

While the fire was raging and temperatures naturally climbing on the hot summer day, Kingston Fire and Rescue was prepared to keep their firefighters safe in such circumstances, Assistant Deputy Chief Carscallen explained, picking up from Armstrong.

“We set up the rehab [station] fairly quickly, and paramedics are here, just in case,” Carscallen said.

“We make sure that there is lots of water and plenty of Gatorade,” he continued, noting that Kingston Fire and Rescue is not yet sure the cause of the fire, or why it seemed to spread so quickly throughout the home.

“We’ll be carrying out further investigations once the fire is entirely put out,” said Carscallen, with Armstrong adding that, while some Kingston Fire and Rescue vehicles were already packing up just before 2:30 p.m., crews were expected to remain on scene for the next two to three hours putting out hot spots and investigating.

“We will assess it after we’re finished putting out the hotspots and we’ll make a determination and obviously, we work with our municipal partners, in Building and Planning Services,” Armstrong said of whether the residence would be officially considered a write-off.

And while two firefighters were treated by Frontenac Paramedics “just as a precaution,” the main objective was attained: the homeowners were not injured or harmed in the fire, nor were any firefighters. Sadly, Carscallen said, that may not have been the case for pets in the house, though that remains to be determined.

Kingston Fire and Rescue indicated further information will become available as the investigation continues.

This is a developing story. Kingstonist will provide updates as more information becomes available.