MUSKOKA LAKES - A cottage maintenance worker had to quickly switch hats when a small fire broke out at a property on Lake Joseph last week.
The incident happened on Lyford Island at approximately 1 p.m. on Thursday, May 10, when the worker and a number of colleagues were working at a cottage. Problems arose when they went to turn on a wall-mounted heater that had debris accumulated inside.
“When they turned it on, it caught fire,” said Muskoka Lakes assistant fire chief Jim Schneider.
The worker, who is also a volunteer firefighter, put the fire out alongside his colleagues using a fire extinguisher. Firefighters from the Foot’s Bay station also arrived by boat to assist. Schneider said the fire caused about $5,000 in damage in the building, and that no injuries were reported.
He reminded cottage owners to keep baseboard heaters and wall-mounted heaters clear of debris before turning them on.