Danger: Fire chief warns of threats caused by cold weather
Chief warns of dangers brought on by weather
A mobile home off Austin Street in Blue Ridge was heavily damaged by fire Tuesday morning, January 7, but thankfully no one was hurt despite firefighters’ worst fears.
Fannin County firefighters were dispatched to the scene at 8:44 a.m. and the first unit was on the scene in three minutes. When he arrived, Emergency Management Agency Director Patrick Cooke reported smoke showing from the single-wide mobile home located at the end of a row of several similar structures across from the Kiwanis Club Fairgrounds.
Arriving firefighters were given conflicting reports regarding the possibility of anyone living in the residence. They were first told four told four people, including children, lived there but they were all out. The owner, Davey Haight, called authorities to say no one was living in the mobile home.
Fannin County Fire Chief Larry Thomas said fears spiked when firefighters battling the blaze were told there were usually two children left alone inside during the day. “Thankfully, this was not the case Tuesday,” Thomas said.
Firefighters brought the blaze under control in about five minutes, using about 500 gallons of water, Assistant Chief Rob Ross said. Twenty one firefighters responded to the scene.
The possible cause of the blaze, along with dangerous materials removed from the mobile home, brought warnings from Thomas.
The fire chief said that, while the cause could not be determined for sure, it was likely started by a space heater being too close to flammable materials.
Additionally, five, 20-pound propane tanks, one of which was full, were found inside the residence. One was hooked up to a buddy heater.
“A 20-pound propane cylinder is designed to be used outside. In the case of a leak, or worse, a fire, they present an extreme danger to anyone nearby,” Thomas said.
Space heaters and wall heaters present dangers of their own, especially those that do no have thermostats or any kind of automatic shutoff. Ross said that, in the case of wall heaters, some will even come on automatically.
“Use extreme caution around these heat sources and never leave any flammable materials such as clothes, furniture, cardboard or paper close to them,” Thomas said.
The blast of winter weather being experienced locally also is a good reminder to check smoke detectors and make sure chimneys are clear of debris, Ross urged.
“The best way to fight a fire is to prevent it,” Thomas said.