Staff Extinguish Fire at Long Term Care Home

(Huntsville/Lake of Bays) – On October 9, 2025, at approximately 12:06 a.m., the Huntsville/Lake of Bays Fire Department responded to Muskoka Landing Long Term Care for an activated fire alarm. Prior to the fire alarm being activated using a pull station by staff, a faint smoke smell was observed in the building. A member of the building’s maintenance personnel went to investigate the air handling equipment on the roof, at which point they discovered a fire within the motor of an air handling unit. 

Due to the facility’s monthly fire drills, staff training on the use of portable fire extinguishers and an annual scenario fire drill observed by the Huntsville/Lake of Bays Fire Department, staff knew how to react to a fire in the building and began evacuating residents away from the fire area. The staff member who found the fire on the roof warned other staff members before grabbing a portable fire extinguisher and extinguishing the fire prior to the arrival of firefighters.  

Firefighters from Station 1 (Huntsville) and Station 5 (Port Sydney) responded with multiple fire apparatus. Also attending were the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) and Muskoka EMS.

Upon arrival, crews found the building’s staff in progress of evacuating the affected floor areas in accordance with their fire safety plan. Staff met fire crews and led them to the roof to confirm the fire was extinguished. 

The fire was caused by two overheated fan motors which ignited the plastic housing. 

The Huntsville/Lake of Bays Fire Department thanks the staff of Muskoka Landing Long Term Care for their quick action in both activating the fire alarm system and with moving their residents away from the fire area. Property owners and managers of both multi-unit residential and commercial buildings are encouraged to review or develop fire emergency procedures for their buildings and to rehearse these procedures by conducting a fire drill. 

For more information on how to create a fire safety plan or hold a fire drill for your building, please contact the Huntsville/Lake of Bays Fire Department at 705-789-5201.

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For more information contact:
Grant Murchison
Huntsville/Lake of Bays Fire Department
Fire Prevention Officer 
705-789-5201 x 3604
media@hlobfire.ca