Space Heater Blamed As 15 Displaced In House Fire Sunday Morning

Thankfully there were no injuries but 15 people were displaced following a house fire early Sunday morning near Beverly Lane and Magnolia in central Everett, Washington. Here are the details as provided by Everett Fire.

Everett firefighters responded to a report of a house fire in the 300 block of E Magnolia Avenue early Sunday morning, just after 1:45 a.m. Residents called 9-1-1 to report a fire in the bedroom of their home that was quickly spreading through the rest of their house.

Before the fire department arrived, all 15 residents safely self-evacuated from the home. Upon arrival, fire crews found a working fire within the house, a single-story structure with a basement. Firefighters quickly brought the fire under control. There were no injuries to the residents or firefighters.

The American Red Cross responded for 15 displaced residents, a mix of older children and adults. Shortly before 7:00 a.m., firefighters returned to the scene to extinguish some hotspots that flared up.

A fire inspector was called to the scene and determined a space heater sitting too close to flammable items in the room caused the fire. The estimated fire loss is between $400K to $600K.

Keeping sufficiently warm during the winter months can prove challenging, particularly when temperatures start to dip. While portable space heaters can help generate heat, the Everett Fire Department reminds the public that they do present potential fire hazards and must be used cautiously. The following are important home heating safety tips and recommendations:
• Keep the heater at least 3 feet away from anything that can burn.
• Have a three-foot “kid-free and pet-free zone” around open fires and space heaters.
• Choose a heater with a thermostat and overheat protection.
• Place the heater on a solid, stable, flat surface.
• Make sure your heater has an auto shut-off to turn the heater off if it tips over.
• Keep space heaters out of the way of foot traffic.
• Never block an exit.
• Plug the heater directly into the wall outlet; never use an extension cord.
• Space heaters should be turned off and unplugged when you leave the room or go to bed.
• Install and maintain CO alarms to avoid the risk of CO poisoning. If you smell gas in your gas heater, do not light the appliance. Leave the home immediately and call your local fire department or gas company.
• Never use your oven to heat your home.

For more space heater and heating safety information, visit the National Fire Protection Agency
website at NFPA.org.