OK Firefighters Remind You To Be Safe During Winter Weather

<p>From Friday night to Saturday morning, firefighters responded to five major house fires across the metro.&nbsp;</p>

Saturday, December 17th 2016, 9:56 pm

By: News 9


From Friday night to Saturday morning, firefighters responded to five major house fires across the metro. One of those left a woman and child dead. These fires have different causes, but most of them could have been prevented.

In the early morning hours, flames spread quickly through a home on Bluemoon Avenue, causing more than $100,000 in damage. Fire crews say a man tried to keep his two dogs warm on the porch using a portable heater. Firefighters say freezing temps are just as dangerous for pets as for humans, but this was not the right idea.

“If you put a space heater in the garage, the animal is likely to knock it over as well,” said Battalion Chief Tommy Iago, “so it’s really just not a good idea. Just bring them in where it’s safe inside.”

One of the most common causes of fires so far this season has been the improper use of space heaters. If this is how you are staying warm, it is important to keep it at least three feet from your belongings.

Another fuel for the flames is actually fireplaces that have not been properly prepared for the season. Plus, firefighters say they are really only supposed to be used for decoration.

“They’re not really made to heat a house,” Iago said, “and a lot of people tend to overheat or overload a fireplace, which gets out of hand and catches the house on fire.”

Already this season smoke detectors have saved dozens of lives. With many of these fires sparking at night, the alarms have alerted families to danger.

Iago said, “It’s just a big misconception that they’re going to smell or they’re going to feel or notice the fire when they’re asleep, and that’s just the opposite.”

Firefighters urge you to have at least one working smoke detector in your house, which you can pick up for free at any Oklahoma City fire station.

logo

Get The Daily Update!

Be among the first to get breaking news, weather, and general news updates from News on 6 delivered right to your inbox!

More Like This

December 17th, 2016

March 14th, 2024

December 4th, 2023

September 25th, 2023

Top Headlines

March 28th, 2024

March 28th, 2024

March 28th, 2024

March 28th, 2024