Structure fire reported in Pinedale
Tips for fire safety during the holiday season
by Sublette County Unified Fire
November 13, 2017
In the early morning hours of November 09, 2017 Sublette County Unified Fire was dispatched to a multiple use building for a reported structure fire on Cole Avenue. Sublette County Unified Fire Battalion 1 (Pinedale), Battalion 4 (Boulder) and Battalion 5 (Daniel) responded to the fire. Upon arrival the fire department discovered the commercial building and adjacent rental units were filled with smoke from a storage bin full of clothing that was burning. The fire department worked with the property owner to remove the burning material and ventilate the smoke from the building. The fire department temporarily evacuated the tenants from the building until the smoke was cleared. There were no injuries reported as a result from the fire. Combustible materials stored too close to the fireplace was listed as the cause of the fire.
Sublette County Unified Fire would like to remind residents that fires caused from heating equipment is a leading cause of home fire deaths in the U.S. Half of home heating equipment fires are reported during the months of December, January, and February. Here are some simple steps that can help prevent most heating-related fires from happening.
• Keep anything that can burn at least three feet away from heating equipment, like the furnace, fireplace, wood stove, or portable space heater.
• Have a three-foot "kid-free zone" around open fires and space heaters.
• Never use your oven to heat your home.
• Have a qualified professional install stationary space heating equipment, water heaters or central heating equipment according to the local codes and manufacturer’s instructions.
• Have heating equipment and chimneys cleaned and inspected every year by a qualified professional.
• Remember to turn portable heaters off when leaving the room or going to bed.
• Always use the right kind of fuel, specified by the manufacturer, for fuel burning space heaters.
• Make sure the fireplace has a sturdy screen to stop sparks from flying into the room. Ashes should be cool before putting them in a metal container. Keep the container a safe distance away from your home.
• Test smoke alarms at least once a month.
Authority
Shad Cooper
Sublette County Unified Fire Chief
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