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By Rita Reith
A husband and wife say that a space heater is to blame for a fire at their Indianapolis home.
The man told firefighters that he and his wife were outside when they saw smoke coming from the upstairs window. Running in to investigate, he found the bedroom on fire and believes the space heater is to blame. The space heater, he says, was sitting on a rug and he believes that it overheated and caught the rug on fire. The couple was apparently using the space heater to heat in an effort to avoid turning on the furnace this early in the season. The man also stated that he did not have working detectors in the home.
Quick and aggressive efforts by Indianapolis firefighters contained the fire to the bedroom and attic space above it. Crews were able to use plastic sheeting on much of the downstairs area, thereby salvaging much of the furniture from additional water damage.
The Indianapolis Fire Department would like to remind residents to use space heaters properly and with caution as the weather continues to get colder. Never leave a space heater on–unattended–and turn it off before you go to sleep. Close the door of the room to keep the heat inside. Always keep a clear three-foot perimeter around the space heater on all sides, which includes combustibles underneath such as a rug. Always plug the space heater directly into the wall outlet and never use a space heater that has a frayed, worn, or torn cord.
RITA L. REITH is a battalion chief with the Indianapolis (IN) Fire Department and serves as the agency’s public information officer.
