Two More Residential Fires In Escambia County

December 29, 2009

Two residential fires have added two more red bulbs in Escambia County Fire Rescue’s “Keep the Wreath Green” holiday fire safety campaign.

On Christmas night, a fire was reported in the 100 block of Manor Drive. When firefighters arrived on scene, they found the attic and a portion of the house on fire. The fire caused major damage to the attic, moderate damage to the kitchen and another room and smoke damage throughout the rest of the home. There was no one home at the time of the fire and no injuries were reported. The cause of the fire was determined to have been a problem with the home’s electrical system.

On December 26, a fire was reported in the 6600 block of Hampton Road. When firefighters arrived on scene, they found a fire in the attic of the home. The fire caused major damage to the attic and smoke damage throughout the rest of the home. There were no injuries were reported. The cause of the fire was determined to have been from an electrical problem in the attic.

All 11 red bulbs lit so far have been for residential fires south of Nine Mile Road. No serious residential fires have been reported in North Escambia this December.

Escambia County Fire-Rescue and the City of Pensacola Fire Department will continue the “Keep the Wreath Green” fire safety campaign throughout the holiday season. This year, the fifth year of the campaign, five-foot wreaths will be on display at 22 different locations throughout the holiday season. These sites are the Old Escambia County Courthouse on Palafox Place, the Public Safety Building on W Street, all 18 primary county fire stations, and two fire stations within the City of Pensacola. Every time firefighters respond to a residential fire, a green light bulb will be replaced with a red one to remind citizens of the dangers posed by holiday decorations.

Escambia Fire Rescue offers the following seasonal fire safety tips:

  • All good things must eventually come to an end. And the longer your decorations stay up, the greater the fire hazard. Never burn trees (branches or needles) in a fireplace. Firs and pines have a lot of sap, which can actually explode. Creosote deposits can also ignite in the chimney and cause a chimney fire. Dispose of your tree at a recycling center.
  • With winter’s dry vegetation, high-winds and low-humidity, wildfires can start and spread quickly. Take every precaution
  • Have extra money from those gift cards? Purchase a carbon monoxide detector for your home. Carbon monoxide can be produced by any malfunctioning gas powered appliance and is known as the silent killer.

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Written by William Reynolds · Filed Under News