Winter Season Brings Increased Risk Of House Fires
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) – The weather may be above freezing, but we are still in the trenches of winter. With that, comes the increased risk of home fires.
Last year, Red Cross workers responded to more than 700 house fires in Minnesota.
On Thursday, crews were on the scene of two fires.
The first fire took place in Belle Plaine.
Firefighters pulled an unconscious man from an upstairs bedroom in the burning home.
They say that same man called them around 1:30 a.m. to say his house was on fire.
The cause of the fire is under investigation.
The second fire happened at a duplex on 79th Avenue in Spring Lake Park.
Firefighters found the woman, who was the only one inside, sleeping in the basement.
She was not hurt.
Crews say the fire started in the entry way of the basement, which sustained minor damage.
The cause of this fire is also under investigation.
As winter continues fire officials believe they will see more fires, and want to remind everyone to be safe.
They said homeowners should have a smoke detector on every level of their home and in every bedroom.
They also caution people about using household appliances as a heat source.
"Ovens are not meant to be space heaters or furnaces or supplemental heat in the home," Casidy Anderson, with Minneapolis Fire, said. "You're creating a hazard."
If you use a space heater, also, remember it must be at least three feet away from anything flammable like paper, clothing, bedding and curtains.
Anderson said unattended cooking is the number one cause of fires for every season.