A person was rushed to hospital with severe burns after a catching fire in a basement in southeast Calgary on Tuesday afternoon
Emergency crews were called to a single‑storey home on 40 Street SE in the community of Forest Lawn shortly after 1 p.m.
Fire crews arrived and were greeted by occupants who told them someone in a basement had been burned by an oxygen tank. It was determined that the victim had been smoking while on medical oxygen, according to the Calgary Fire Department (CFD).
“When they started smoking, it caused a flash and the patient caught on fire,” said CFD spokesperson Alex Kwan.
A roommate used a fire extinguisher before firefighters arrived. The crews found the victim with extensive burns and brought them outside, where paramedics took over care.
The victim was rushed to hospital in serious and potentially life‑threatening condition. No other injuries were reported.
Kwan said medical oxygen must be kept away from any ignition source.
“When people are using medical oxygen that’s highly compressed inside of a tank… there’s no smoking around those,” he said. “Anyone using medical oxygen should shut that off and keep that separate.
“You mix those ingredients in the wrong way, this is the type of thing that can happen.”
CFD continues to investigate the circumstances that led to the incident.
Calgary fire department (Nick Blakeney, CityNews Calgary)
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