Humidifier May Be Linked To Crib Fire That Burned Ontario Toddler

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A home fire which left a toddler with severe burns after his crib caught fire in an Ottawa-area home, is believed to be linked to a humidifier and another appliance.

Ontario Fire Marshal investigator, Peter Hamilton, told CTV Ottawa that they have narrowed down the area in the 18-month-old boy’s bedroom where they believe the fire began. He said they have taken two objects from the scene for further examination off-site.

Hamilton did not comment on what the seized objects were, however the child’s father said fire officials were looking at a humidifier in the bedroom. The father also noted that the humidifier was the only appliance in the room which was plugged in at the time, but he did not notice where the fire was located in the bedroom at the time when he rushed in to save his little boy’s life.

When Ottawa Fire Services arrived at the scene, they found the toddler with second-and third-degree burns to his face and limbs. Firefighters administered first aid and sheltered the toddler until paramedics arrived at the scene.

In a release Ottawa Paramedic Service said that the child was treated with specialized burn dressings and advanced life support in the ambulance ride to the Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario (CHEO) and he arrived in critical condition. The child’s 35-year-old father was also transported to the hospital in stable condition with smoke inhalation.

According to reports, the toddler is recovering in hospital and the boy’s parents are physically fine after the incident.

The fire reportedly broke out in the boy’s second-floor bedroom in the two-storey detached home. The fire was contained to that one room. Firefighters were able to bring it under control and the damage to the home is estimated to be around $100,000 and deemed it uninhabitable.

Hamilton said that a working fire alarm alerted the child’s parents of the fire in their son’s bedroom in time.

“It definitely saved the child’s life and it also saved the parents as well,” Hamilton said.