An elderly man was taken to hospital with significant burns to his body after a structure fire Thursday evening.
Revelstoke Fire & Rescue Services responded to a call of a person on fire at a residence on the 900 block of Begbie Road at around 6:30 p.m. on Thursday, fire chief Rob Girard said in an e-mail.
“As fire crews were responding, the call elevated to a structure fire”, he said. “Upon arrival fire crews discovered an elderly male who suffered significant burns to his body.”
The man was treated by first responders and paramedics on scene and taken to Queen Victoria Hospital. Fire crews remained on scene to tackle the blaze at the mobile home.
Girard said the man’s clothes were ignited by a portable propane heater that he was using inside to thaw a frozen water line.
Girard said the incident was a reminder about the dangers of using portable propane heaters indoors.
“This time of the year when it is cold, residents need to exercise extreme caution with space heaters of any kind and the overloading of electrical extension cords in their homes,” he said. “The use of these types products are, more often than not, the cause of residential house fires.”
He also advised to regularly clean out wood and pellet stoves.