Space heater probable cause of Elberta house fire

By Jessica Vaughn
Posted 12/1/20

ELBERTA - Disaster struck an Elberta home Monday, Nov. 30, when a home caught fire. The home’s only occupant escaped by jumping through a window, but his dog was unable to make it out. Firefighters …

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Space heater probable cause of Elberta house fire

Posted

ELBERTA - Disaster struck an Elberta home Monday, Nov. 30, when a home caught fire. The home’s only occupant escaped by jumping through a window, but his dog was unable to make it out. Firefighters from four different agencies arrived on the scene to douse the flames. The fire began in the living room before engulfing the entire home. The incident is still under investigation. Initial reports from firefighters on the scene point to a space heater as the probable cause of the fire.

Overnight temperatures for the remainder of the week are expected to be in the high 30s and 40s. Many others will likely turn to space heaters to keep warm while the temps drop.

Some recommended safety tips for using a space heater include: read the manufacturer’s instructions and warning labels prior to use, check heaters for cracks, broken plugs, or loose connections before each use, never leave a space heater unattended, turn space heaters off when leaving a room or going to sleep, never let pets or children play too close to the space heater, plug the space heater directly into a wall outlet without the use of an extension cord or power strip to avoid overheating and do not plug other electrical devices into the same outlet as the heater, place the heaters on a level, flat surface, and place space heaters at least three feet away from anything that can burn, such as furniture, paper, and rugs.