Bathroom exhaust fan believed to have caused $250,000 damage in Leamington fire

Local fire officials are suggesting residents routinely inspect and clean their fan units following a Leamington house fire.
Tenants who lived in a single story home in the 400 block of Oak St East were left homeless following a fire just after 7 p.m. Thursday.
“There was heavy black smoke coming out of the back of the building when fire fighters arrived,” said interim Leamington Fire Chief, Don Williamson.
Williamson said the fire originated in an exhaust fan in the bathroom.
Leamington fire crews responded to a house fire believed to have been caused by an exhaust fan in the 400 block of Oak St East in Leamington, Ont. on Thursday, May 31, 2023. (Source: OnLocation/Twitter)
“It’s difficult to pinpoint the exact cause because of the damage, but it could have an electrical issue or dust in the unit ignited from the heat of the motor,” Williamson said.
Crews opened the roof of the home to get at the fire in the attic, and there was damage from the water and smoke.
Williamson suggested homeowners should routinely check exhaust fans and clean away any dust.
“Getting a timer switch on an exhaust fan can help prevent any possible issues,” he said.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories

What do Indigenous Peoples across Canada really need and want?
The federal Liberal government has made a lot of promises to Indigenous Peoples. But do those promises line up with what communities on the ground really want and need, or reflect their diversity?
Toronto family shocked they have to rip out $20K synthetic grass putting green
A Scarborough family said they were shocked to get a notice from the City of Toronto that the artificial grass in their backyard, including a putting green, will have to be ripped out.
Walking just this much more per day can lower your blood pressure: study
A new study finds walking an additional 3,000 steps per day can significantly reduce high blood pressure in older adults with hypertension.
Here's how a U.S. government shutdown could impact Canadians
Economists warn both Canada's economy and individual Canadians could suffer from impacts of a U.S. government shutdown, and that those impacts will deepen and broaden the longer it lasts.
India's foreign minister says Canada has 'climate of violence' for Indian diplomats
Indian Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar said on Friday there was a 'climate of violence' and an 'atmosphere of intimidation' against Indian diplomats in Canada, where the presence of Sikh separatist groups has frustrated New Delhi.
Defence minister insists $1B spending reduction is not a budget cut
The country's top soldier and outside experts say that finding almost $1 billion in savings in the Department of National Defence budget will affect the Armed Forces' capabilities, although the defence minister insisted Friday the budget is not being cut.
Bail bondsman charged alongside Trump in Georgia becomes the first defendant to take a plea deal
A bail bondsman charged alongside former President Donald Trump and 17 others in the Georgia election interference case pleaded guilty to misdemeanor charges on Friday, becoming the first defendant to accept a plea deal with prosecutors.
Last living suspect in 1996 drive-by shooting of Tupac Shakur indicted in Las Vegas on murder charge
A man who prosecutors say ordered the 1996 killing of rapper Tupac Shakur was arrested and charged with murder Friday in a long-awaited breakthrough in one of hip-hop's most enduring mysteries.
Tragedy in real time: The Armenian exodus from Nagorno-Karabakh
For the past five days, vehicles laden with refugees have poured into Armenia, fleeing from the crumbling enclave of Nagorno-Karabakh in neighbouring Azerbaijan. In a special report for CTVNews.ca, journalist Neil Hauer recounts what it's like on the ground in Armenia.