Fires involving automatic chairs aren’t rare, as prolonged use can wear down some of the electrics and connections inside them, said Bryan.“The footrest on the recliner, it's automatic so it goes up and down by pressing a button. The wire ran underneath the springs and cushions so wear and tear would break that wire down and cause a malfunction and short in the chair.”
Bryan said firefighters received the call around 3:45 p.m., and was put out and cleaned up by 5:30 p.m. While the fire was confined to one unit, smoke and water damage displaced 13 residents from the complex.“Some people went to family, and Red Cross was involved trying to disperse and co-ordinate living accommodations for others,” he said.
“This being a busy tourist year, it's hard to get people put into housing, so Andrews of Charlottetown came on board and took in five or six people and housed them at their facilities, which is really good. “We’re dealing with seniors, so you want to make sure they are cared for and have proper food and housing.”