Gravenhurst firefighters rescue man after cooking pot left on burner

GRAVENHURST — A Gravenhurst man is lucky to be alive after firefighters found him during the night when his smoke detector went off.

Gravenhurst firefighters rescued a man from an industrial building early Friday morning (March 16) following their response to an automatic alarm activation.

They say just before 2 a.m. fire crews from station 1 responded to an alarm activation at 205 Jones Road in Gravenhurst.

Crews investigating the alarm observed a haze of smoke in part of the building.

When investigating, they observed a man in an unresponsive state inside in another part of the building through a window.

Crews forced their way into the building and took him outside to fresh air.

Paramedics subsequently transported the man in his 30s to hospital.

Fire crews found a pot on the stove inside left on a burner, which was identified as the source of the smoke.

“Obviously, early detection was pivotal in the outcome of this story,” said Fire Chief Larry Brassard.

“Cooking related fires are the number one cause of fires in Ontario, and this experience is borne out in Gravenhurst as evidenced by this incident and others we experience on an ongoing basis”.

The man has since been released from hospital after being seen by physicians.