Sarnia firefighters respond to two fires on Vidal and Devine streets

Four people escaped a rowhouse fire early Monday after smoke alarms sounded. Firefighters had responded to a separate kitchen fire on Devine Street the previous evening.

A family dog died after a lithium-ion battery caught fire in a Sarnia rowhouse early Monday, Sarnia Fire Rescue said. All four people inside escaped after working smoke alarms alerted them.

Crews were called to a multi-unit rowhouse in the 200 block of Vidal Street South at about 3:09 a.m. on Nov. 9. The fire service said the battery went into thermal runaway, a process in which it overheats and the fire can spread quickly.

Firefighters found the dog inside, carried it out and administered oxygen. The dog did not survive. No other injuries were reported.

The previous evening, firefighters put out a kitchen fire in the 700 block of Devine Street after a cooking fire got out of control. Residents got out safely and no injuries were reported.

Sarnia Fire Rescue urged residents to keep working smoke alarms on every storey and outside sleeping areas. The service also advised using manufacturer-approved chargers and avoiding charging batteries that are damaged, swollen or overheating.

For a small grease fire, the service advises sliding a tight-fitting lid over the pan and turning off the burner if it’s safe to do so. Water can spread burning grease.