Fire Stories

My blog's not dead. It moved

2008-01-14T13:06:00.000-08:00

I moved it to http://exactproductsinc.com/WordPress/.

Television overheats

2007-10-14T06:29:00.000-07:00

4 killed, 2 hurt in Cebu fire

By Thea Alberto
INQUIRER.net
Last updated 04:52pm (Mla time) 10/12/2007

MANILA, Philippines -- At least four people were killed and two were wounded in a residential fire in Cebu City early Friday, reports reaching Camp Crame national police headquarters in said.

The fire in Apricandice district, Looc, Lapu-Lapu City killed four members of a family, said the report. Police have yet to identify the victims.

The survivors meanwhile bore first-degree burns, it said.

Radio reports said the fire was caused by an overheated television.

more at LINK

Apartment kitchen fire caused by toaster oven

2007-10-09T04:42:00.000-07:00

Updated: 10/09/07 7:03 AM
Buffalo, NY

A kitchen fire sparked by a toaster oven that had been left on caused an estimated $55,000 damage in a Clarence apartment house late Sunday, as Harris Hill volunteer firefighters contained the fire in one of the building’s eight apartments.

Fire officials listed an estimated $55,000 damage.

LINK
My power strip with smoke detecting shutoff could have stopped this fire.

Recall: Air purifiers melt and catch fire

2007-10-08T06:18:00.000-07:00

About 83,000 IonizAir table top air purifiers, manufactured by Leaven Enterprise Co. in Taiwan, because the air purifier’s cartridge can overheat, posing a risk of fire. P3 International, the importer of the product, has received 10 reports of purifiers melting or catching fire and no reports of injuries.

The recalled air purifiers involve model number P4620 with lot numbers beginning with either 03 or 04 or have no lot number. The product was sold at various stores nationwide including mail-order and Internet retailers from January 2003 through July 2004. Details: by phone at 888-734-0449; by Web at www.getnewcartridge.com or http://www.cpsc.gov.

LINK

There are so many products coming from untested manufacturers lately, you could add a margin of safety by having them plugged into my product which would shut them off if smoke is detected.

Toasters recalled. Turn on spontaneously with no bread in slots

2007-10-08T06:04:00.000-07:00

Recall Round-Up (10/07) From CBS3, Philadelphia (LINK)

Jim Donovan

5200 toasters are being recalled. They can turn on without bread in the slots and ignite items that may be placed on top. There have been ten reports of toasters turning on spontaneously. One incident caused fire damage to kitchen cabinets.

The recall affects Cook's Essentials Electric Toasters. They are four slice wide slot electric toasters with numbers CET 401. They were sold by QVC from January of 2003 through June of 2003.

Unplug these toasters immediately and call QVC at 800-367-9444. They'll give you instructions on how to return the power cord for a full refund.

(LINK)
There are so many products coming from untested manufacturers lately, you could add a margin of safety by having them plugged into an outlet that would shut them off if smoke is detected.

Space heater blamed for fatal fire

2007-10-07T19:23:00.000-07:00

Nipomo man dies in home fire

By Neil Nisperos/Staff Writer

An 83-year-old Nipomo man was killed Saturday morning after the electric space heater he had been using to keep warm at night caused a fire that consumed his entire house, said San Luis Obispo Cal Fire investigator Andy Andersen.

Robert Koch's 97-year-old wife, Dorothy Koch, and 58-year-old daughter, Roselle Hardin, escaped through a back window in the bedroom of the single story house, at 330 Verbena Street.

Andersen said Koch woke up at about 3 p.m. when the fire started and immediately alerted his family. Hardin told investigators that the smoke from the fire was two feet off the ground and that the fire had engulfed the area where the recliner was at the front of the house, Andersen said.

More at LINK

This is the kind of fire which could be prevented by a SmokeShutoff power strip. As soon as smoldering starts, the power strip cuts off power to the space heater.

Toaster fire causes $40,000 damage

2007-10-05T18:04:00.000-07:00

By Trista Steers

Larson Newspapers

Fri, 05 October 2007
Sedona Red Rock

An accidental fire in West Sedona made the home of seven to nine people unfit for habitation after a toaster caught fire.

On Tuesday, Oct. 2, a toaster fire caused an estimated $40,000 damage to a $400,000 home at 100 Stations West Drive in the Sedona West Subdivision.

The fire damaged the home’s electrical wiring so the electricity and gas had to be shut off, according to Sedona Fire District Fire Marshal Will Loesche.

Power strip blamed for bank fire

2007-10-04T05:55:00.000-07:00

BY JERRY SIEBENMARK

The Wichita Eagle

Nearly two months after a fire swept through the executive offices and other parts of Bank of America, officials are uncertain when things will be back to normal.

"They're still in the process of cleaning the workspace and assessing the damages, so (a renovation) has not started at this point in time," Rob Allison, Bank of America Kansas president, said Wednesday.

On Aug. 10, a three-alarm fire broke out at the Bank of America Center at Broadway and Douglas. Allison said the most heavily damaged portion of the building was on the third floor, where his office was located.

Wichita Fire Marshal Ed Bricknell said Wednesday that the fire started from a power strip underneath a desk on the third floor.

"Exactly why it malfunctioned, we don't know," Bricknell said.

More at LINK

Shopping centre blaze started by radio

2007-10-04T02:59:00.000-07:00

Published Date: 04 October 2007
Location: Peterborough

9.30AM: A FIRE investigation launched in the wake of a blaze at the Queensgate Shopping Centre has found it was started accidentally - by an electrical fault in a portable radio.

A vast amount of stock was damaged by smoke and the mall was flooded when the fire in a storeroom at the Next store triggered the centre's sprinkler system.

At one point, thousands of gallons of water flooded the mall and seeped into shops below.

Fire crews were called at 7.45pm on Tuesday night and the clean up operation was concluded at 10.50pm.

LINK

Last Updated: 04 October 2007 9:34 AM

Lamp suspected in fire

2007-09-30T15:53:00.000-07:00

Dereham, UK
Father and son hailed as fire heroes

06 September 2007

A father and son were last night hailed as heroes by a Dereham family describing their horror at seeing their home in flames.

Jamie Irons, 12, was riding his bicycle when he spotted smoke coming from the Beaneys' house in Dunlop Road and raised the alarm - and his father Neil helped to get the family to safety and stop the fire spreading.

Wendy Beaney, 42, and children Sam, 10, and Hannah, nine, were downstairs when the fire started in Hannah's bedroom just before 5.30pm on Saturday, oblivious to what was happening upstairs.

Mrs Beaney said last night: “It is very scary to think we were inside and we had no idea the fire had started - and what would have happened if Hannah had been in her room? I am just glad we are all okay.

“Our neighbours were fantastic.”

Mr Irons helped get Mrs Beaney and her children out of the building, before running back inside to rescue their dog Domino from the kitchen.

Everyone was safe by the time two Dereham fire crews arrived, guided by Jamie, but the families watched in shock as flames lapped from Hannah's bedroom window. The fire, believed to have been caused by an electric lamp, was put out just before 6pm.

More at LINK

Electric blanket catches fire

2007-09-30T15:46:00.000-07:00

Northern Daily Leader, NSW

ON SATURDAY night Nigel and Karen King were enjoying dinner oblivious to two firefighters at the next table who were hastily called away to a fire.

Fifteen minutes later the couple received a call. Their home was ablaze.

The young couple is still coming to terms with the destruction of the family house, car and priceless possessions including photos, trophies, a wedding dress and jewellery.

According to fire investigations the blaze ignited in the main bedroom about 7.20pm and may have been caused by a faulty electric blanket.

More at LINK

Hot plate caused structure fire

2007-09-30T15:28:00.000-07:00

Santa Barbara County

LINK

A Saturday structure fire near Gaviota Hot Springs that caused about $400,000 damage was sparked by a hot plate that either malfunctioned or was left on, said Santa Barbara County fire investigators.

Fire crews were called to 300 Rural Road 1, near Gaviota, just before 6 a.m. Saturday.

5000 Electric Blanket fires in UK each year

2007-09-30T15:19:00.000-07:00

LINK

MORE than a third of electric blankets tested in Brent and Harrow have failed safety checks and could be seriously dangerous.

Harrow Trading Standards, which carried out checks in the boroughs found 40 per cent were faulty and posed a fire risk.

In light of the findings, trading standards officers are providing free electric blanket safety tests tomorrow (Wednesday, September 26).

More than 5,000 fires are caused by old or damaged electric blankets in the UK every year.

Electric Toothbrush blamed for house fire

2007-09-30T14:38:00.000-07:00

Praise for house fire helpers

By Lloyd Vaughan

Comment

A TREBOROUGH couple has praised the reaction of their local community following a fire which tore through their kitchen last week.

Pete and Sue Moncrieff-Jury returned home on Wednesday afternoon to see fire crews tackling the blaze - caused by an electric toothbrush left on charge.

More at LINK

Cat's heat lamp blamed

2007-09-30T14:19:00.000-07:00

Cat's heat lamp sparks garage fire near Bend

Sep 10, 2007 11:52 PM

Use low wattage, attach to solid object, officials warn

From KTVZ.COM news sources

A homeowner east of Bend tried to do well buy a cat on a chilly fall morning Monday, but the warming lamp left on a cardboard box sparked a fire that almost cost him his dog, cat and garage as well, officials said.

More at LINK

Waterpik blamed for fire

2007-09-30T14:14:00.000-07:00

Tuesday, September 11, 2007 - Bangor Daily News

A local girl is credited with saving the lives of her parents and siblings and her father is credited with saving the life of his wife’s 90-year-old grandmother Sunday after a fire broke out in a bathroom on the first floor of the family’s home.

Jonathan and Nancy Seavey of Winter Street were awakened at about 10:30 p.m. Sunday by their 14-year-old daughter, Jen Seavey, who heard the hardwired fire alarms sound off in the 2½-story house.

After the couple woke their two other children, Nancy Seavey guided the children down the stairs and called 911 while Jonathan Seavey ran downstairs to wake Nancy Seavey’s grandmother, Margaret Libby, 90, who was in a first floor bedroom. Libby had recently been discharged from a local nursing home.

..... More at LINK ......

Libby’s bedroom was about 10 feet away from the bathroom where the fire had erupted, according to Guyotte. The cause of the fire was attributed to a Waterpik used in oral health care that had been plugged in by the elderly woman. The electrical device, which had not been used in years, malfunctioned, Guyotte said.

..... More at LINK ......

Antique Mall Fire caused by surge protector

2007-09-30T14:04:00.001-07:00

Gas House fire cause pinpointed

By Nancy McCleary
Staff writer

An overloaded surge protector is believed to have started the fire that destroyed
the Gas House antiques mall and the Festival Park Place building in downtown Fayetteville.

Investigators found numerous extension cords plugged into the protector, said Chris Morey, Fayetteville Fire Department battalion commander.

more at LINK

fire at ostrich farm caused by heat lamp, charger

2007-09-30T13:53:00.000-07:00

By SARAH BEDFORD and JARED MORGAN - The Southland Times

A huge blaze that razed four buildings and caused an estimated $150,000 damage at an ostrich farm on Wednesday night had the potential to be much worse.

The fire at Five Rivers Farm, near Lumsden started inside a boat kept in a storage shed, which along with two other sheds and an office were destroyed by the blaze.

....

Full story at LINK

.....

Invercargill fire safety officer Mike Cahill investigated the scene yesterday and said a heat lamp rigged to keep frost at bay in the engine of a boat had sparked the blaze, which spread from the boat into the shed housing it.

The owner of the property had plugged in a battery charger that was still connected to the lamp, he said.

"The heat lamp ignited combustibles in the engine bay of the boat, that then ignited the boat and destroyed the sheds," he said.

"The poor bugger forgot the heat lamp was in there when when he powered up the battery charger."

My power strip would have turned off those 2 devices and sounded an alarm.

Another Dell laptop catches fire

2007-09-04T14:05:00.000-07:00

By Truman Lewis
ConsumerAffairs.Com

August 24, 2007

A computer network administrator at a Columbus, Georgia, hospital is the latest consumer to encounter the flaming laptop syndrome.

Douglas Brown said his Dell 9200 wide-screen laptop's batteries exploded into flames, it "looked like fireworks which would have been cool had it not been in my house."

Brown called 911 and the fire department responded with two pumpers, a ladder truck, the HAZMAT unit, an ambulance and the battalion chief.

...... skip...... (see full story at ConsumerAffairs.com)

Dell and other computer makers have recalled millions of batteries. It could not immediately be determined whether Brown's laptop was among the recalled units.

Microsoft XBOX 360 driving wheel recall

2007-08-25T09:37:00.000-07:00

Due to smoke risk, Microsoft is recalling the Driver's Wheel console for the XB0x 360.

They already had a big recall on the 360 for overheating and smoke problems. So this is just another chapter in bad Microsoft hardware that shouldn't be left plugged in, but since your kids do, it should be left plugged into a power strip that will cut off power if it detects smoke.

Sanyo fans kill 2

2007-08-25T08:05:00.000-07:00

Two Die in Fire From Sanyo Electric Fan
Associated Press 08.23.07, 9:57 AM ET

OKYO -

An old electric fan produced by Sanyo Electric Co. caused a fire and killed two people this week, forcing the beleaguered company to apologize Thursday and urge consumers to stop using the model.

The accident occurred in Tokyo on Monday. Fire broke out from the fan, produced in 1970, apparently due to decay in its motor and other parts, Sanyo said in a statement. It denied that there was a design flaw or other defects.

"We confirmed the accident was caused by the fire from the fan," the company said. "We take the accident very seriously."

The Osaka-based electronics maker has received 23 similar reports since 2000, including two people who suffered burns, according to company spokesman Akihiko Oiwa.

Sanyo is trying to get back on track under investors led by Goldman Sachs Group Inc. (nyse: GS - news - people ), which last year put $2.6 billion toward bailing out the company.

I wonder if I should call Goldman Sachs and let them know I have a good investment for them, a product that will give an added margin of safety for all the devices in your home.

The lesson? Aging fans are not the only devices in your home that have the potential for danger. The National Fire Safety Institute doesn't collect statistics about how many of these fires are started, but we all hear stories about these incidents.

Elsmere home fire caused by extension cord

2007-08-11T06:56:00.000-07:00

LINK

By TERRI SANGINITI, The News Journal
Posted Thursday, August 9, 2007 at 11:50 am

The state Fire Marshal's Office has ruled that an early-morning fire last month which heavily damaged an Elsmere home was accidental and caused by an electrical malfunction.

The blaze was reported shortly after 1 a.m. July 19 in the 100 block of Linden Ave. in Elsmere Manor, said Chief Deputy State Fire Marshal Alan Brown.

When firefighters from the Elsmere, Cranston Heights, Wilmington Manor and Minquas of Newport companies arrived, they found heavy flames shooting out of the brick two-story house.

The homeowner, Charles D. Snow, 53, escaped with serious burns and smoke inhalation. He was hospitalized for several days in Crozer-Chester Medical Center’s burn unit in Upland, Pa.

Brown said an investigation determined that the fire originated in the living room and was caused by “some type of an electrical malfunction in an extension cord.”

Damage to the home was estimated at $75,000, Brown said.
Contact Terri Sanginiti at 324-2771 or tsanginiti@delawareonline.com.

Fish-tank pump causes fire, official says

2007-08-10T10:21:00.000-07:00

A Roanoke home was damaged and three people were displaced following a residential fire Thursday afternoon, officials said.

Roanoke Fire-EMS spokeswoman Tiffany Bradbury said crews were called to the 1500 block of 12th Street Northwest about 4:30 p.m.

Investigators found a fire in the basement and extinguished it without incident, Bradbury said, adding that there was smoke damage throughout the house. She estimated the cost of the damage at about $50,000.

Bradbury said the fire was caused by an overheated pump motor on a fish tank in the basement.

LINK

-- Neil Harvey

This is the 3rd Fish Tank fire I've found. That would be an ideal application for my product as long as the cabinet is not too humid.

Fan blamed for dorm fire

2007-08-10T10:05:00.000-07:00

Residence halls evacuated again
By Justin Myers, Staff Writer. Posted April 24, 2007.
Chris Dunn/Staff Photographer
...
Residents of the Hudson and Gillett residence halls were evacuated after a second fire in less than a week triggered a fire alarm Sunday night. The alarm was the fourth in eight days for Gillett.

At approximately 10:30 p.m. on Sunday, an electrical fire started in a maintenance workshop in the basement of Hudson, according to a Columbia Fire Department news release.

The release stated a fan motor overheated to start the fire.

“(The fan) was just an item that got left on that, in most cases, one would think that you could leave on, and it just happened to burn out,” Residential Academic Programs Associate Director Kristen Temple said.

...

According to the release, the fire caused less than $10,000 in estimated total damages.

If I had to leave a fan on, I'd plug it into a power strip that could turn it off if the fan started to overheat.

Overheated computer cause of East Side fire

2007-08-10T09:47:00.000-07:00

LINK

Article Launched: 08/04/2007 12:00:00 AM MDT

Overheated computer equipment started a fire Thursday at an East Side apartment complex that suffered more than $80,000 in damage, El Paso Fire Department officials said.

The fire at the Camino Real Apartments, 2801 N. Yarbrough, started at about 9 p.m. when the equipment overheated and came in contact with paper, Lt. Mario Hernandez said. No injuries were reported, but flames engulfed two apartment units.

You know you're going to need a power strip or UPS for your computer. Why not use one that will shut the system down if it detects smoke?

Fire in wall outlet

2007-08-10T09:37:00.000-07:00

Electrical fire consumes family belongings

(Created: Tuesday, August 07, 2007)

Elizabeth Doney Havre Daily News edoney@havredailynews.com

A local woman, Jeni Ratliff, living with her parents, Lance and Jan Zuelke, and grandmother, Frankie Zuelke, about five miles south of Havre, and her children lost all their personal belongings in an electrical fire July 30. The fire, which officials said originated in one of the wall outlets, consumed an 8’ x 14’ bedroom and its contents.

....
More at LINK

The Bear Paw Volunteer Fire Department, located south of Havre, dispatched eight firefighters and had the fire completely out and mopped up by 7:45 p.m., Gregoire said. “We determined that it was an electrical fire — an outlet got hot and didn’t kick off the breaker. The outlet continued to get hot until it caught on fire,” Gregoire said. “It appeared to be an electrical problem off a wall outlet. The location of the outlet and the amount of damage that would melt it down completely shows that’s where the fire most likely started. The wiring leading to that outlet appeared to have been overheated real bad.”

...
My power strip with smoke detecting shutoff has a good chance of preventing these kinds of fires because once the outlet starts smoldering my power strip can power off whatever is drawing electricity and causing the overheating condition.

Battery chargers suspected in garage fire

2007-08-10T09:29:00.000-07:00

Local Man Loses Garage In Fire

POSTED: 10:47 pm EDT August 7, 2007
UPDATED: 11:14 pm EDT August 7, 2007

A local man is out hundreds of thousands of dollars after his garage went up in flames Tuesday.

Firefighters said the blaze was not easy to battle because of what was inside.

The garage was full of antique cars, but now is nothing but charred remains.

Jack Ingram is the owner.

.... Full story at LINK

Ingram said he thinks the fire could have been sparked by battery chargers inside the garage, but firefighters are investigating.

I see a lot of stories about battery chargers causing fires. I'd feel safer knowing my charger was hooked up to a SmokeShutoff power strip.

Cord tied in knot burns women's shelter

2007-08-10T09:18:00.000-07:00

Fire displaces women living at secret shelter

Residents' hopes dashed as officials ponder rebuilding and lost services

LINK for full story

By John R. Ellement and April Yee, Globe Correspondent | August 10, 2007

Nine months pregnant and a victim of domestic abuse, Shanele had turned to the Elizabeth Stone House because it was the only place where she could feel safe. Just last week, she moved into the house, which ran a secret shelter for battered women.

But on Tuesday, Shanele was once again looking for a safe place to stay, after a two-alarm fire consumed the top floor of the Jamaica Plain three-decker. The fire forced the shelter to close and left Shanele and six other women and their six children grappling with the destruction of a refuge for people with nowhere else to turn.

....
....

Troop said the Stone House is one of 32 emergency shelters for domestic violence victims in the state, and that there is no fast way to replace the beds lost by the fire. Officials estimated the damage at $175,000.

...

In Erika's old room, where fire officials said the blaze originated, chunks of plaster and gray soot covered the floor. Boston Fire Department spokesman Steve MacDonald said an electrical cord tied into a knot had overheated, sparking the fire that spread to the rear porch.

....

My power strip with smoke detecting shutoff can prevent these kinds of fires because once the cord starts smoldering the power strip can power off whatever is drawing electricity and causing the overheating condition.

Overheated DVD player causes apartment fire

2007-08-08T11:46:00.000-07:00

DVD cause of apartment fire

Staff Reports
Union Colony, Colorado
August 7, 2007

.....

Union Colony fire spokesman Dale Lyman said investigators found a DVD player had fallen off the back of the television set, then overheated, catching fire to the floor and other material in the area.

Damage was estimated at $20,000 to the structure and $10,000 to contents of the apartment.

More at LINK

Most DVD players are plugged in through power strips anyway, along with the cable/sat receiver, the TV, stereo, etc. So why not use a power strip that cuts off power when it detects smoke?

Tea kettle blamed for barn fire

2007-08-07T07:50:00.000-07:00

Photo by Marie Zettler

MARIE ZETTLER
Ottawa
Local News - Saturday, August 04, 2007 @ 07:00

A fire caused by a tea kettle that had accidentally been left plugged in started a barn fire at a farm on the Bromley Line in the Westmeath area on Friday evening.

The fire, in a pig barn at the farm of Merlyn and Alice Martin and their family, was brought under control by the quick response of Mr. and Mrs. Martin and their three daughters.

....

The kettle was kept in the barn to heat water to mix milk replacer to supplement the diet of baby pigs. There were a half dozen sows with litters in the barn, as well as some weaned pigs.

More at LINK

This is the kind of fire my smoke detecting power strip could prevent.

Laptop costs two families their home.

2007-08-05T07:01:00.000-07:00

LINK

El Paso, Las Cruces, Juarez

Friday, August 3,, 2007- Two families are without a home, after a fire ripped through their apartments. Nothing is left inside the apartment where the fire started, it's a lot of damage caused by one small laptop computer.

Investigators traced the cause of the fire to a lap top over heating. Computer experts say fires like this are not common, but very possible. They say the problem is that computers are getting smaller and so are batteries And having to hold a big charge in a small space can cause the batteries and chargers for the batteries to become over heated.

Experts say if any part of your computer seems to be getting excessively hot it can be a sign of a problem. And you should unplug it and have it tested.

Faulty fan causes house fire

2007-08-02T11:28:00.000-07:00

LINK

NEWARK -- Three puppies were rescued Wednesday night from a house fire on Central Avenue caused by a malfunctioning fan.

Newark firefighters were called to 236 Central Ave. at 9:32 p.m. Wednesday after a neighbor heard a smoke alarm sounding inside the home, Assistant Fire Chief Bill Spurgeon said.

The residents were not home, so firefighters had to force their way inside to fight the fire. The crews searching the house found and saved three puppies, bringing them out to the owners.

Spurgeon said he determined the fire started as a result of a malfunctioning electrical fan in the rear of the house. He estimated damage, which was contained to the first floor, at $2,000.

Fans are left powered on for long periods, especially to keep pets cool while the owner is away. I think that's a great application for a smoke detecting power strip.

Aquarium equipment blamed for house fire

2007-07-17T11:23:00.000-07:00

More at LINK

A home in Suamico (Wisc) is destroyed after a fire Saturday morning.

It started this morning on White Pine Dr., that's off of Highway 41 and Lineville Rd.

Asst. Chief Randy Wichlacz of Tri-County fire said, "There were some joggers that were walking by and they said it was white smoke first. Then when the Brown County officers was there he said it already turned to black and it was flaming on the back end and I was here shortly after that and it was coming over the roof already."

Fire crews think a large aquarium plugged into an electrical outlet caused the fire. No one was inside the house when the it started the homeowners were in door county.

Fire Destroys Police Chief's Garage -- drill charger suspected

2007-07-17T10:15:00.000-07:00

7/10/07
GRAND MEADOW, MN -- A weekend fire destroyed the garage of a local police chief.

Police say around 5:30 Saturday morning, a neighbor saw smoke coming out of a garage that belongs to the Grand Meadow Police Chief, James Richardson.

Grand meadow firefighters responded and put out the fire, but not before it destroyed several valuable items in the garage.

The state fire marshal said the blaze may have started from a cordless drill charger that was plugged in.

Tom Bleifus with the Grand Meadow Fire Department says, "I guess they haven't rules out any arson, but that is kind of what it's being pointed towards right now is electrical."

Chief Richardson was not home when the fire started. The garage is said to be a total loss.

Back massager blamed for house fire

2007-07-16T10:49:00.000-07:00

MAUNAWILI, Hawaii -- A short circuit sparked a fire that destroyed a Maunawili home early on Wednesday morning, according to the Honolulu Fire Department.

A plugged-in portable back massager short-circuited, investigators said.

Two women -- ages 89 and 49 -- lived in the house. One smelled smoke before midnight, but could not find anything burning. They woke up at 2:30 a.m. to find heavy smoke.

"Within 10 minutes of it starting, it was huge and then the propane tank to the barbecue burst into flames and then the flames were huge. There's a big palm tree. (The flames were) way above the palm tree. It was shooting out and all the windows were bursting," said Janet Onopa, who grew up in the home.

More at LINK

New recall for gateway notebook computers

2007-06-23T01:54:00.000-07:00

Computer-maker Gateway has just launched a voluntary recall of around 14,000 lithium ion battery packs that were sold with certain Gateway notebooks. According to the company, these batteries have the potential to be a fire hazard.

The warning has been issued for those battery packs that were shipped as the primary or spare battery pack for the gateway 400VTX and 450ROG series notebooks that were sold from May 2003 to August 2003.

I'd feel safer plugging any laptop, any battery charger into a power strip that would cut off if the battery overheats or the charger begins smoking.

Light in children's bedroom blamed

2007-06-22T10:35:00.000-07:00

link to original story

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- Nearly six months after a fire tore a family apart, claiming the lives of two young children, the State Fire Marshal's Office announced it was unable to determine the cause of the fatal fire.

The State Fire Marshal's Office recently finished its investigation into the fire that killed 5-year-old Alyssa and 7-year-old Robert Bullock in their family's Westside home in May.

Investigators said they knew the fire started in the children's bedroom. Their investigation focused on a disco ball light that was found melted in the children's room.

Shortly after the fire, the children's mother Amy Bullock told investigators she turned the disco light off at 9:30 p.m. and went to bed at about 1 a.m.

The smell of smoke woke the mother at about 6 a.m., but it was too late. Both of the sleeping children died of smoke inhalation.

The children's father said he believes the disco ball light was what led to their deaths. He filed a lawsuit against the manufacturer of the disco ball and Chuck E Cheese, the place where the kids bought the disco light.

Since filing the lawsuit, he and his attorneys were eagerly waiting for the report on what actually caused the fire.

During the investigation, melted debris was subjected to X-ray examination and investigators took other disco ball lights and tested them.

Disco Light

Robert Bullock and his attorney, Steve Browning, are offering $10 for every disco light toy turned in.

In its report, the State Fire Marshal's Office stated, "Neither the investigation at the scene nor the x-rays could conclusively determine what caused the fire."

Along with the report, Channel 4 was able to obtain the x-rays, which, according to the state fire marshal, show the disco ball was in the melted mass of plastic where the fire started.

"The problem is when you get into exactly what caused the heat buildup within that devise to cause it to ignite, and that's where we have a problem. We cannot specifically put our finger on what may have happened," said State Fire Marshal Richard Walker.

Fire officials said they could not be certain the disco ball light started the fire and that they would never know for sure what sparked the flames.

"The disco ball, without any doubt in my mind, caused the fire because there is no other source of heat where the fire started," said the family's attorney Steve Browning.

Browning said the report is informative, but it doesn't make much of a difference to the case.

"If we didn't have a good faith belief that the case was just, we wouldn't have brought it in the first place," Browning said.

The children's father said all he wants is justice for his kids.

==

All I want is for people to plug that kind of stuff into my power strip. If I could prevent just one fatal fire.

Waterbed heater blamed for house fire

2007-06-19T10:40:00.000-07:00

LINK

6.5.07 Amarillo, TX

Fire on Clema St.

A fire struck a home in the 3300 block of Clema St. Monday night. The owner of the home tells Newschannel10 that the fire started because the heater to the waterbed was left plugged in. The fire caused significant smoke damage to the home, but caused little structural damage. The owner hopes to be able to repair the home soon. Firefighters were able to rescue the family cat, who was the only one in the house at the time of the fire.

Overheated light bulb blamed for hardware store fire

2007-06-14T10:27:00.000-07:00

By Kelly Hildebrandt
khildebr@argusleader.com
Published: June 1, 2007

When fire destroyed Lennox’s True Value Hardware last November, the owners had a big decision to make.

Rebuild or move on?

After months of contemplating, owners Debbie and Kent Herrboldt have decided not to rebuild what was the city’s only hardware store.

The Main Street building was destroyed by an electrical fire, started by an overheated light bulb, Nov. 13 and has since been demolished. The Herrboldts were contemplating rebuilding near state Highway 17, but decided not to.

More at LINK

Phone charger blamed for house fire

2007-06-14T09:21:00.000-07:00

7th June 2007 02:05:46 AM LINK

CASEY residents are being warned to turn off their electrical appliances this winter.

The warning comes after two houses were last week devastated by fires caused by electrical faults.

Detective Senior Constable Ray Ross from Cranbourne CIU said people had to make sure all electrical items were turned off when they were not in use.

Last Thursday, a house in Leckie Street, Cranbourne, was damaged after a fire started in a rear room.

Police believe problems with lighting and bad wiring caused the fire.

The owner of the property noticed smoke coming from the room at about 5pm and the fire was contained to that room.

On Saturday night a house in Pentland Avenue, Narre Warren, was gutted when flames quickly spread through the roof and other rooms about 9.45pm.

Police believe a phone charger caused an electrical fault, starting a fire.

Aquarium equipment blamed for house fire

2007-06-14T09:08:00.000-07:00

GARDINER -- An early-morning fire Friday at a local pet store reportedly killed thousands of fish, several breeds of birds and a couple of cats.

No people were injured in the blaze at 3 Cobbossee Ave., which started around 6 a.m. at The Golden Lamb Pet Shop and residence owned by David and Nancy Knowles.

Gardiner Fire Chief Mark Kimball said the cause of the fire, which began in the pet store, is under investigation by the state fire marshal.

"At this point, we don't know what caused the fire, but it's looking like it was electrical where all the aquariums and pumps were plugged in," Kimball said.

More at link

I've talked with aquarium supplies distributors and they think this type of fire could be prevented by using my product. The key is installing it in areas that don't get a lot of moisture buildup (bad for electronics) but still get enough airflow from the room so that aquarium reflector lamps, pumps, heaters, and other devices if they begin to smoulder will get shut off and an audible alarm gets emitted.

Aquarium pump blamed for apartment fire

2007-06-14T09:05:00.000-07:00

By Anthony Rifilato and Dana Williams June 07, 2007

Baldwin firefighters made a dramatic rescue last week after a fire broke out in an apartment complex at 1861 Grand Avenue and engulfed the building with smoke, fire officials said.

The fire started at about 8:00 a.m. on May 29, after a fire broke out in one of the co-op apartments on the first floor. "It started as an electrical fire, after a power supply to a fish tank's water pump overheated," said Baldwin Fire Chief Doug Wiedmann. "The fire was contained to the apartment, we were able to hold it before it spread."

Wiedmann said the fire was not deemed suspicious. Smoke from the fire, however, spread throughout the building, located on Grand Avenue, south of Ethel T. Kloberg Drive. Firefighters evacuated tenants, removing three through the building's first-floor windows because the hallways were filled with smoke, Wiedmann said.
"The smoke was in the hallway, and because we couldn't get them out through the normal hallway, we had to get them out through the windows," Wiedmann said. "We took out three people through windows and we evacuated everybody from the building."

More at LINK

Radio blamed for deck fire

2007-06-08T13:09:00.000-07:00

Gloucester Daily Times

Rick Melanson was just being a good neighbor.

But his quick, neighborly response to a house fire on Crestview Terrace went way beyond the usual. It may have saved lives as well as property.

Melanson, 21, who also lives on Crestview Terrace, was driving past the house of Eduardo and Joan DaSilva on Sunday night around 9 when he saw a fire lighting up the side of the house.

He immediately dialed 911 on his cell phone to call the Fire Department, ran to the front door and started banging on it to awaken the DaSilvas, who had been sleeping for about an hour. Once they were out of the house, he grabbed a garden hose and knocked down the flames before firefighters arrived.

Deputy Chief Stephen Aiello, who was in charge at the scene, said the fire started from a radio left plugged in on the back deck.

More at LINK

Coby "boom box" radios

2007-06-03T17:42:00.000-07:00

LINK
The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) has announced recalls of the following product. Consumers should stop using recalled products unless otherwise instructed.

Figure 1

Product: Coby USB/MP3/CD boom boxes

Units: About 13,800

Importer: Coby Electronics Corp., of Maspeth, N.Y.

Hazard: When left plugged into an electrical outlet and the off switch is not firmly in place, these boom boxes can overheat, posing a fire hazard.

Description: The recalled portable player is primarily white with silver-colored speakers and has a USB feature that allows it to be connected to a computer. Model number MP-CD475 is written on the top. Units with serial numbers from 0736000001 through 0736005000, 0816000001 through 0816005300 and 0826000001 through 0826003500 are recalled.

Sold at: Discount, toy and office supply stores nationwide from August 2006 through December 2006 for between $20 and $50.

Remedy: Unplug boom boxes. Contact the firm for information on returning the units and receiving a refund.

You just can't trust all these imported electronics. Don't wait for a recall. Use smoke shutoff power strips.

Faulty surge protector blamed

2007-06-03T17:40:00.000-07:00

LINK
Surge Protector Could Be To Blame For Crafton Fire

(KDKA) CRAFTON A faulty surge protector could be to blame for a fire in Crafton this evening.

Firefighters say the blaze broke out in the upstairs apartment of a building on Oregon Avenue.

The woman who lived there, a KDKA-TV employee, says she had her laptop computer plugged into the surge protector, along with a lamp and a stereo.

The damage from the fire was confined to the upstairs apartment. The unit downstairs had some water and smoke damage.

Crafton Fire Chief Roy Hermes says the fire could have caused more damage if it weren’t for an off-duty Carnegie firefighter who happened to be in the neighborhood visiting a friend.

“He ran up and, made an initial assessment and, then went in the building as far as he good without gear, and breathing apparatus,” Hermes said. “He was there, and gave us a good assessment, upon our arrival and, that's very helpful to get information like that, right from the get go.”

Space heater blamed

2007-06-03T17:30:00.000-07:00

Hutchinson home 'annihilated' by fire

By John Green
jgreen@hutchnews.com

The Hutchinson News

April Smith awoke at about 3 a.m. Wednesday to find the curtains next to her bed on fire.

The young woman, her parents and infant child escaped the home at 3003 West 9th without injury, but the fire destroyed the uninsured home and most of its contents.

"It was annihilated," Smith said of the home she grew up in with her siblings. "It burned the entire bedroom it started in, floor to ceiling. It got up in the attic, causing damage in every room. It got so hot all the electronics in the house - the TV, stereo, CD player - melted throughout the house. The tiles and stuff on the ceiling melted."

The curtains where the fire started were next to a wall outlet, Smith said, which had a space heater plugged into it. The heater itself was not near the wall.

More at LINK

I don't understand how there can be tipover shutoffs for space heaters, but not smoke shutoffs. Until there are, I think smart insurers and landlords should provide smoke shutoff power strips for residents to plug their space heaters in.

Computer blamed for house fire

2007-06-03T17:18:00.000-07:00

LINK
QUICK-THINKING grandmother saved her two young granddaughters when a fire broke out in an upstairs bedroom.

Denise Mayoh was making a cup of tea when she heard the fire alarm go off in her house in Dyson Street, Farnworth, at around 11am on Saturday.

She was babysitting her granddaughters, Chloe and Coadie Corkhill, aged three and two.

Coadie was with her in the kitchen, but Chloe was in the upstairs bathroom.

Mrs Mayoh, who is registered disabled and normally has to use a stairlift, got herself up the stairs as fast as she could and saw that the computer table in the front bedroom was on fire and the blaze was quickly spreading.

She grabbed Chloe from the bathroom, went downstairs and took both grandchildren out of the house to the back garden.
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The blaze destroyed the contents of the bedroom, including the ceiling, floors and window, and had started spreading to the bathroom next door when fire crews arrived.

Smoke from the blaze seriously damaged the rest of the house and its contents.

Mrs Mayoh said: "If I had thought and closed the door then it would have probably saved a lot of my things, but I just wanted to get the kids out.

"At the end of the day, I may have nothing left upstairs but at least my grandchildren are safe and nobody got hurt. That's the only thing that matters to me."

Firefighters are not sure how the fire started but have logged it as being due to a child playing with a lighter.

However, this is only a probable cause and an electrical fault with the computer could have also caused the blaze.

Mrs Mayoh, aged 47, said: "It was definitely the computer. It was not a lighter.

"It started in the corner with the computer. I had only recently plugged it in for the kids to play games on.

"The top and middle shelf where the computer and TV are kept were burnt out."

I trust the grandmother on this one. Just a guess, but I bet there was cat hair clogging the power supply fan, causing overheating that would have been prevented by a smoke shutoff power strip.

Hand vac charger causes dealership fire

2007-06-03T17:14:00.000-07:00

LINK
Schoolboy Saves Two From Fire
22 May, 2007

A 16-year-old schoolboy risked his life warning workmates of a fire before attempting to battle flames that engulfed a Palmerston North car dealership yesterday. Brendan Murray was working as a car groomer at the now-charred Money Mart Direct Car dealership on the corner of Featherston and Carroll streets.

"I walked through the office, into the workshop and saw the fire.

"As soon as I saw it I grabbed the fire extinguisher to try to put it out.

"It was quite big and there was fuel around."

Palmerston North Fire Service station officer Gary Hills said the flames were about 1.8m high as Brendan tried to fight it using the small extinguisher.

He opened the door back to the office and yelled out, alerting his two workmates who fled, before turning back to fight the blaze.

After 10-20 seconds he saw the fire spread to cleaning products and petrol cans in the workshop.

"It just exploded," the Freyberg High School student said.

Witnesses outside reported hearing the explosion and seeing smoke shoot out the windows, followed by a mass of flames.

"I was right by it, I just stepped back.

"I couldn't find my way out.

"It was real smoky."

The workshop was small and the garage door was open.

But black smoke had filled it completely.

Three police officers were a short way up the road and raced to the scene.

"I heard a policeman yelling to 'get out of there' and I followed the voice."

He received superficial burns to his right arm and face.

Afterwards he seemed fine, a burn pad on his arm the only indicator he had been hurt, but the danger had started to sink in.

"In the ambulance, I couldn't stop shaking."

His mum Tanya Murray, who manages the car yard, called him a hero and was backed up by the two sales staff Brendan warned to get out. "I was sitting right by the (workshop). That's why I'm grateful to Brendan for yelling," said Doris Smith, who was still shaking as fire crews doused the few remaining hot spots.

"It just went black with smoke when he opened the door (to yell). I would never have known if that door wasn't opened.

"He definitely saved people."

She was in the far office and watched as the fire shot through the building.

"It took about a minute. It just gutted it so fast."

Fire crews arrived with two engines within six minutes of receiving the 111 call at 2.48pm.

"Basically there were flames coming out of every opening," Mr Hills said.

Still, they managed to put it out within about six minutes.

Brendan played down the hero tag but agrees he got there just in time to warn people.

Fire safety officer Murray Kidd said it appeared the fire was started by an electrical appliance in the workshop, possibly a car grooming vacuum.

"I've got all the bits in front of me at the moment, we're still trying to work out what it is."

He said it was plugged in to a charger at the time.

I'd use the Smoke Shutoff power strip on any of those chargers that get left plugged in 24/7.

Halogen lamp fire damages Bellevue Ave. house

2007-06-03T17:10:00.000-07:00

LINK
An odd set of circumstances combined this morning, resulting in fire damaging a Syracuse house, a city fire official said.

Firefighters were called to 1111-1113 Bellevue Ave. at 7:20 a.m. to battle a fire in the attic of the two-story, two-family house, Lt. Ken Heffernan, Syracuse fire investigator, said.

A contractor arrived at the home about 6 a.m. and prepared to paint the attic, Heffernan said. As the contractor was setting up, it became evident there was a power failure in the neighborhood, Heffernan said.

The contractor left at 6:25 a.m., but he forgot he had left a halogen lamp plugged into an electrical outlet while setting up to paint, Heffernan said.

At 6:45 a.m., National Grid restored power to the neighborhood, Heffernan said. The halogen lamp also kicked on and overheated, triggering the fire, Heffernan said. No one was hurt, he said.

The attic received moderate fire damage and the rest of the house experienced heavy water damage, Heffernan said.

Illinois Family Suing Microsoft and Wal-Mart for Xbox 360 Fire

2007-06-03T16:10:00.000-07:00

LINK

Posted May 30, 2007, 5:21 PM ET

Microsoft and Wal-Mart are facing a lawsuit after an Illinois infant died in fire reportedly started by their Xbox 360.

Microsoft Corp. and Wal-Mart are facing a lawsuit in the face of the death of an infant in Illinois. Reports are that the fire in the family home was started by an Xbox 360 power supply that overheated to the extreme. The machine was purchased at Wal-Mart which is why it is being named in the suit. The suit was filed by Wade Kline's estate and seeks unspecified damages in excess of $50,000.

The lawsuit reports that the Xbox 360 was plugged into a standard electrical outlet and that the wiring connected to the Xbox 360 became so hot that is started a "catastrophic" fire at a house in Warsaw, Illionis. The victim, an infant named Wade Kline, died in the inferno. The suit claims that the fire was a direct and proximate result of the overheating of the game's power supply and wiring. The suit also named an "unnamed power-supply maker" as also at fault.

This not the first time that the Xbox has been thought to have caused a dangerous fire, according to media reports. In 2005, a UK woman was pulled unconscious from a blaze reportedly sparked by an overheated Xbox system.

2 or 3 years ago Microsoft set up a hotline for Xbox owners to swap their power cords for a new one with a thermal cutoff. In fact, we got one for our Xbox which we bought at Gamestop about a year after the problem surfaced. (Apparently Gamestop had a lot of Xboxes in stock with the old power cord) But after all that, it's a surprise Microsoft is having fire risk problems with the Xbox 360 too?

Curling Iron

2007-05-29T18:55:00.000-07:00

Main Street fire blamed on electrical appliance

Updated: 05/29/07 9:28 AM

An electrical appliance that was left on apparently sparked a fire that caused $15,000 damage at a Main Street home no more than 100 yards from a city firehouse, Buffalo fire investigators said today.

Engine 34 firefighters had a very short trip to the home at 2880 Main St., where they alerted four people inside that flames had erupted in a third-floor bedroom at about 8:45 p.m. There were no injuries.

Fire Marshal James O'Neill, investigating the cause with Edwin Ortiz, said investigators believe some type of electrical curling iron or comb that was left on too long ignited the fire.
LINK

Lamp may have started fatal fire

2007-05-25T13:21:00.000-07:00

01:00 AM EDT on Thursday, May 24, 2007

By Lisa Vernon-Sparks

Journal Staff Writer

COVENTRY — As state authorities yesterday morning searched through the charred remains of a bedroom fire at 14 Meredith Drive, family and friends of Mark Holihen, who died in the blaze, huddled close by, remembering the man who was an avid fast-pitch softball player.

John Holihen, whose son Mark died in a fire Tuesday at the family home on Meredith Drive in Coventry, comforts friend Marilyn Ferrucci yesterday. The state fire marshal’s office has initially ruled the fire accidental.

The Providence Journal / Kathy Borchers Kathy Borchers

Family members say Holihen, 50, participated in softball league play and at one time traveled around the country with the King and His Court, a national four-man softball team that began in 1946. He played in local leagues in Coventry during the 1980s as well, and received numerous trophies and plaques that still hang in the family’s basement.

“He used to be able to pitch a softball at 77 miles per hour. He was a good guy and had a lot of friends,” said his brother Christopher Holihen. “He is very well known around town.”

“He loved baseball and softball. He was a Red Sox fan,” his father, John Holihen, said.

The state fire marshal’s office has initially ruled the Tuesday evening fire accidental. It may have been started by a lamp that fell over, Anthony District Fire Chief Robert Warren said yesterday. Anything that burned, such as plastic on a picture, could have caused the terrific amount of smoke and flames that engulfed the bedroom, he added.

The fire marshal’s office did not return calls yesterday seeking additional comment.

Holihen, a graduate of Coventry High School, was a landscaper and an occasional bartender at a local bar. He lived with his parents, John and Phyllis Holihen. They said he was in bed when the fire began shortly before 9:30 p.m. Tuesday.

The couple were in the living room when they smelled smoke and initially thought it was someone cooking outside, but quickly realized it was coming from inside their ranch-style house. When they opened the door to their son’s bedroom, they were hit with thick smoke that billowed out into the rest of the house.

More at LINK

A lamp getting knocked over is a typical type of smoldering fire the SmokeShutoff power strip is designed to prevent or stop.

Heat lamp blamed for barn fire

2007-05-18T07:52:00.000-07:00

LINK to article and video

A barn fire killed several animals Thursday afternoon.
No one was home when the fire started.
A neighbor who lives a good distance away spotted the smoke and called 911.
The fire started at a barn in Ogemaw county's Ogemaw township Thursday.

I need to find a farm insurance cooperative that will offer lower rates if their members use my product.

coffee maker blamed

2007-05-09T05:53:00.000-07:00

Fearless friend faces fire for frightened fido

By Shawn Clubb
Wednesday, May 9, 2007 6:39 AM CDT
Saint Louis

Click on LINK to read story about a woman who risked her life to save a dog.

......

Klein said she was told by firefighters that the fire was electrical and was caused by her coffee maker. She said she never uses the coffee maker and did not have it on.

Another reason to use a smoke detecting power strip if you must leave something plugged in.

Iron Caused Fatal Fire In W. Philly

2007-05-07T12:48:00.000-07:00

Update: Iron Caused Fatal Fire In W. Philly
Woman Died In Saturday Blaze

POSTED: 3:12 pm EDT May 7, 2007

PHILADELPHIA -- An unattended electric iron was the cause a fatal fire in West Philadelphia Saturday afternoon, officials said.

The fire marshal determined the cause of a fire at 17 S. Redfield St. to be an electrical iron, according to Fire Commissioner Lloyd Ayers.

A 68-year-old woman lost her life in the blaze that occurred at 1:18 p.m. Saturday, officials said.

The fire was placed under control at 1:32 p.m.

Fire officials found three smoke alarms in the home, two were working and one had a dead battery.

LINK
True some irons have a timer to shut them off if left on too long. But I say a power strip which shut off when the iron started smoking would have prevented this death.

Investigators: Toaster Likely Started House Fire

2007-04-17T12:13:00.000-07:00

Took About 30 Minutes to Get Fire Out

KAPP Staff
Last updated: Saturday, April 14th, 2007 09:38:07 PM

ZILLAH -- Fire investigators say a toaster is likely to blame for a fire that destroyed a kitchen inside a Zillah home. It happened early Friday night off Division Road. Firefighters say the homeowner made some toasted sandwiches, then left about 2 hours before the fire started. It took firefighters about 30 minutes to put the fire out. Damages are estimated at $30,000 dollars.

LINK

Overloaded socket causes restaurant fire

2007-04-13T08:57:00.000-07:00

Article from The Herald
Fire at Stow
12 April 2007
EDITORIAL - heraldnews@archant.co.uk

Fire crews tackle the blaze at The Stow – Pic: Paul Wood
A SHOP in The Stow has been destroyed by a fire caused by an overloaded electrical socket.

Firefighters were called to the blaze at Taste Buds, a take-away shop on the industrial estate, at 5am on Monday morning and found it completely ablaze.

It took crews from Harlow, Old Harlow and Sawbridgeworth over an hour to put out the flames.

The Environment Agency was informed of the incident as an asbestos roof was also damaged during the fire.

Firefighters tackled the fire from above as well as on the ground to prevent the flames from spreading from the ground floor, mid-terrace shop to adjoining shops.

Harlow station manager Andy Senior said: "We have determined that this fire was not deliberate and most likely caused by an electrical fire caused by overloading a socket with appliances.

"It shows how easily an overloaded socket can lead to tragedy. People should be careful not to overload sockets in homes as they are the major causes of fires in homes and in businesses.

LINK to original story

====

I agree with everything the experts above say. I want to add that still this fire may have been preventable because whatever was using electricity would have been turned off by the SmokeShutoff(TM) Power Strip at the first sign of smoldering and then the socket would no longer have been overloaded.

Iguana suspected in house fire

2007-04-09T18:32:00.000-07:00

Thursday, March 08 2007 @ 08:40 AM MST
Contributed by: Admin
Views: 111
by Caron Gotcher

A fire started by a heat lamp in a pet iguana’s cage is believed to have destroyed two upstairs bedrooms of a home in St. Regis on Sunday night, according to St. Regis Volunteer Fire Department Chief Jerry Dockter.

“We are thinking it was the heat lamp in the iguana cage,” Dockter said Tuesday night. “We haven’t actually concluded that was the cause, but it all points to that heat lamp. The wall started on fire and the fire traveled through the two upstairs bedrooms.”

The home, located in the alley behind Pine Street near Floral Tree Pine, belongs to the Bevans family. No one was injured in the fire. The St. Regis Fire Department contained the blaze to just the two upstairs bedrooms, but water and smoke damage accounted for a lot of personal property loss, according to Dockter.

Very few personal items were able to be removed from the house before the fire department arrived on the scene. Dockter said that as of Tuesday night he wasn’t sure if a fund had been set up for the Bevans, but that donation jars have been set up in St. Regis businesses.

He said that he thought the Nyle Bevans family is staying with his father in St. Regis.

Volunteers Larry Kelly, Jared Dockter, Alex Worrell, Sabrina Managhan, Gary Dockter, Tim Palmer, Ronda Ramsey, Jeremy and Cat Tjensvold, Clint Wolf and John Schober all responded to the fire.

“We had a really good turnout,” said Dockter. “A lot of the volunteers showed up. The fire was contained to the two bedrooms.”

The pet iguana most likely knocked off the heat lamp while escaping from its cage sometime during the day. The pet was found at the downstairs entrance to the house. The pet iguana perished in the fire, according to Dockter.

More at LINK

Portable lamp caused fire that destroyed 6 businesses

2007-04-09T18:24:00.000-07:00

Fire’s cause found
By Hub Staff, and the Associated Press
04/06/2007

BROKEN BOW — A portable lamp that accidentally came in contact with sawdust and cardboard caused the fire that destroyed six businesses in downtown Broken Bow on Sunday, said state and local fire investigators.

The blaze gutted a brick building that was built in 1889. Damage costs have not yet been estimated.

The fire started around 5 p.m. Sunday in the basement of the Photo Center and spread to the other businesses: Square One, American Family Insurance, Lyne’s Appliance, Lyne’s Antiques and Chapin’s Furniture and Decorating. Each of the businesses have since found temporary homes.

Crews have been taking down the walls of the buildings to ensure that the crumbling walls don’t fall and injure anyone. No injuries were reported during or after the fire.

More at LINK

Heat lamp for piglets suspected in barn fire

2007-04-05T17:25:00.000-07:00

Family mourns loss of animals
Fire destroys barn, damages historic house

By Kathleen Baglio Humphreys
Published: Thursday, Apr. 5, 2007

LYNDEBOROUGH — The fire that destroyed their antique barn and severely damaged their 1857 house was bad enough, but it is the death of many of their animals that has the Schmechel family mourning.

The blaze on Friday, March 30, killed 18 rare Old Gloucester piglets, two adult sows, five pet sheep, 24 chickens and a prize goat, as well as a friend’s horse that was boarded at the property, known as Bittersweet Farm. The baby pigs, which were to be shipped out the next day, represented 10 percent of the entire population of rare Old Gloucester pigs in the United States.

Some cows and a pig that were in outside pens survived.

“The material things can be replaced,” said Kathryn Schmechel. “We lost part of our family when we lost the animals. I know it is not a child, but part of who and what we are is those animals, and that is what brings us to tears every couple of hours. That is hard to get through.”

....

The state fire marshal’s office has not released the cause of the fire but a heat lamp was being used in the barn to warm the piglets.

More at LINK

Casio keyboard smoke hazard

2007-04-04T05:54:00.000-07:00

LINK

Due to a manufacturing defect, certain CTK-710 keyboards may present a smoke and/or fire hazard, which could result in serious injury or property damage. No reports of injuries have been received by Casio to date. Casio is aware of five incidents of overheating, including two incidents that resulted in a fire. There have been two reports of property damage.

---
Seems like I'd use a surge protector for valuable musical instruments. Maybe considering all the effects processors and other electronics being sold, it might be smart to have a smoke detecting power strip in your home studio.

180 Bearded Dragon Lizards perish

2007-03-29T15:32:00.000-07:00

LINK

Mar 29, 2007 8:43 am US/Pacific
Hundreds of Bearded Dragon Lizards Die Chico Fire

(AP) CHICO About 180 bearded dragon lizards were killed after fire struck a company that breeds the reptiles for pet shops.

Chico police were called to Nature Zone headquarters early Wednesday to investigate an alarm, where they found a fire in its early stages.

About 1,000 of the lizards, usually called "beardies," survived. Those that were killed were larger, breeding animals that were kept near where the fire started.

Fire Inspector Marie Fickert said the cause of the fire, which caused about $12,000 in damage, was electrical. It likely was connected to eight-foot fluorescent lights and ultraviolet lamps set to timers in the nearly century-old building.

This is exactly the kind of business which should buy an extra level of safety with my power strips.

Faulty flourescent light starts fire

2007-03-29T13:11:00.000-07:00

LINK
Cops: Faulty light fixture began fire
Posted by the Asbury Park Press on 03/28/07

BY NICK CLUNN
COASTAL MONMOUTH BUREAU

WEST LONG BRANCH — A faulty light fixture appeared to have started a fire that damaged a single-family home at Summers Avenue and Monmouth Road on Wednesday morning.

The West Long Branch Vol. Fire Department arrived about 7 a.m. after someone inside the home smelled smoke and ran to a neighbor's home to call police, according to Capt. Lawrence L. Mihlon. No one was injured.

Investigators believe the fire started in the basement and spread to the home's first floor after it was ignited by a faulty florescent light fixture, Mihlon said.

The response to the fire closed Monmouth Road for about two hours.

If this was a flourescent light hanging from a floor joist in the basement and connected by a cord, maybe damage could have been reduced if my power strip had cut off power when the unit began malfunctioning.

light bulb ignites bedding

2007-03-28T05:42:00.000-07:00

Fire destroys Kaukauna home

The Post-Crescent

KAUKAUNA — A family of six was forced from their home Sunday after a light bulb apparently started bedding on fire.

Assistant Chief Craig Schneider of the Kaukauna Fire Department estimated damage to the home at 707 E. Ninth St. at $40,000 to $50,000.

The older two-story home is owned by Kevin Eismann and was rented by the Gabriel Lakatos family, which includes two adults and four children, ages 6 to 11. No one was injured.

Schneider said the fire was started by a bulb from a small lamp and could have smoldered through much of the night before starting bedding on fire.

It was reported just after 10 a.m.

He said the home is uninhabitable. "The upstairs is pretty much extreme heat, smoke and water damage," he said. "The downstairs is pretty much water damage.

"It's pretty much tear it down to the studs and start over."

LINK

heater too close to curtain starts fire

2007-03-19T04:43:00.000-07:00

LINK
By SUN MEDIA
Sat, March 17, 2007

An electric heater left too close to curtains was the cause of an apartment fire that caused $2 million damage.

Two firefighters suffered minor burns while battling a blaze that started about 2:30 p.m. on Thursday at the Golden Arms apartment block in south St. Vital. A couple of tenants at the building on St. Michael Road just north of Bishop Grandin suffered smoke inhalation and were taken to hospital.

Winnipeg Fire Paramedic Service platoon chief Murray Rougeau said the cause of the fire was an electric heater left near curtains in a fourth-floor suite. Some tenants were able to access their suites yesterday but it's not clear when they will be able to return home for good.

faulty lead on electric blanket

2007-03-16T09:37:00.000-07:00

Fire takes toll, but 'can't keep a good man down'
By DENISE IRVINE - Waikato Times | Friday, 16 March 2007
Email a Friend | Printable View | Have Your Say
BRUCE MERCER/Waikato Times

MUSIC MAN: Gerry Merito is back on the road with a new guitar.

An original member of the Howard Morrison Quartet has had a few rough months but, as Denise Irvine finds, you can't keep a good man down for long.

Gerry Merito, veteran Kiwi entertainer, has a new guitar, plenty of gigs to play, and an irrepressible grin despite the difficulties of the past few months.

Like the line in the old Randy Newman song, "you can't keep a good man down", Gerry can't help spinning a few wry jokes as he describes the toll that a fire at his Cambridge home last winter has taken on him and wife Dorothy.

It was about 7pm on June 30, and Gerry, 68 – an original member of the famous Howard Morrison Quartet – and Dorothy were settling in to watch the Silver Ferns playing Australia on TV. Gerry says they were about to have a glass of wine when they saw smoke pouring into their upstairs lounge.

Next thing, the smoke alarms were going off, the master bedroom was on fire, and Gerry says he told Dorothy: "We'd better forget about the glass of wine". They fled downstairs, called the fire brigade from a cellphone, and began to move Gerry's heavy music equipment out from the downstairs rooms.

.... More at LINK ...

The house fire –- caused by a faulty lead on an electric blanket –- wrecked the master bedroom and another bedroom, and caused smoke and water damage.

Fire caused by electric blanket

2007-02-16T13:08:00.000-08:00

LINK

AFTER an electric blanked burst into flames, firefighters are warning people to have them regularly checked.

Two crew members from Bridlington Fire Station had to use breathing apparatus to tackle the fire at a flat in Windsor Crescent, Bridlington, around 6.15am last Friday.

No-one was injured but the flat was severely smoke logged, which needed clearing with a ventilation fan.

Glen Ramsden, spokesman for Humberside Fire and Rescue Service, said: "Smoke from electric blanket fires is particularly toxic and dangerous.

"We advise people to make sure they are using them in accordance with manufacturers instructions and that they have them checked at least once a year.

"Ideally they should be replaced every two to three years to be on the safe side."

====

I think my power strip could save lives, cutting off power to the electric blanket and preventing that toxic smoke.

Lamp Apparently Sparks Fire That Destroyed Home

2007-02-04T13:53:00.000-08:00

Lamp Apparently Sparks Fire That Destroyed Home

(STNG) LAKE IN THE HILLS, Ill. A family was displaced early Sunday morning after a fire tore through an attached garage at their northwest suburban home overnight.

Nobody was injured in the fire, which broke out just after midnight in an attached two-car garage at 505 Seminole Trail in Lake in the Hills, according to Algonquin Fire Battalion Chief Joe Teson.

A lamp that was knocked over appears to have started the fire, Teson said.

“The fire completely destroyed the garage and a car parked out front,” Teson said.

The fire did not damage the main house. But the family is displaced because of the magnitude of the garage blaze during the night, Teson said.

The residents were staying with relatives in the meantime, he said.
LINK

This is exactly the kind of fire I think my SmokeShutoff Power Strip(TM) can prevent. I bet the power strip would have cut off and sounded a smoke alarm before the lamp could get the fire to full ignition.

Paper shredder caused fire

2007-02-04T13:43:00.000-08:00

LINK
Sheboygan, Wisconsin

A two-alarm fire Friday afternoon at the Camelot Manor Townhouses, 2332 Carmen Ave., caused between $2,000 and $4,000 damage, but no one was injured, the Sheboygan Fire Department said.

Crews responded to a 911 call to the eight-unit apartment complex about 2:50 p.m. and found heavy smoke coming from the apartment manager's office, Shift Commander Daniel Pitsch said.

A maintenance worker had tried to put out the fire with an extinguisher but had to leave the area because of heavy smoke. Fire crews used hoses to douse the blaze and fans to rid the building of smoke.

The fire appeared to have started in a paper shredder and spread to a stereo and a table, Pitsch said. The office received smoke damage and some carpet was melted below the shredder.

Crews left the scene by 3:42 p.m.

Heat Lamp: Barn fire kills chickens, turkeys

2007-02-01T16:49:00.000-08:00

January 31, 2007
BY NICHOLAS P. ALAJAKIS nalajakis@scn1.com

LAKE VILLA --- For the second time in two weeks, an area chicken coop has caught fire, this time killing all the poultry inside.

About 40 chickens and four turkeys died when a Lake Villa barn caught fire this afternoon. A heating lamp used to warm the animals apparently ignited the blaze, said Lake Villa Fire Chief Frank Slazes.

Lake Villa firemen work on putting out a barn fire at 1921 Ceder Lake Road. The barn was being used as a chicken and turkey coop. Forty chickens and four turkeys died.

The blaze at the barn located at 1921 Cedar Lake Road began around 3:30 p.m., said homeowner Peggy Fuller, who said she noticed smoke when she went to feed and water her animals. Fuller said she rushed to the barn and opened the door, only to see flames and more smoke coming from the east side of the large barn.

"When I opened the door it was awfully quiet in there," Fuller said. "There was no good word from (the chickens.)"

More at LINK

Heat lamps in barns is one of the main reasons I developed my product

Coffee pot to blame in hotel fire

2007-02-01T16:47:00.000-08:00

Senta Scarborough
The Arizona Republic
Jan. 31, 2007 04:55 PM
An unattended coffee pot sparked a fire at an extended-stay hotel in west Mesa Wednesday, causing $15,000 in damage, officials said.

The fire started in an in-suite kitchen at the Suites of America in the 800 block of South Dobson Road about 2:45 p.m., Mesa fire Deputy Chief Mike Dunn said.

Sprinklers kept the fire from spreading, Dunn said.

The blaze caused smoke, fire and water damage to the room and water damage in a nearby room. No one was injured.

Three people displaced are expected to move to other rooms at the hotel, Dunn said.

Overheated batteries spark garage fire

2007-02-01T16:40:00.000-08:00

Senta Scarborough
The Arizona Republic
Feb. 1, 2007 11:47 AM
Overheated batteries sparked a garage fire at a home Wednesday evening in Mesa, displacing four residents and causing $50,000 in damage, officials said.

The fire started about 6 p.m. in the 1700 block of East Gary, Mesa fire Deputy Chief Mike Dunn said.

Firefighters contained the blaze in about 15 minutes and keep it from spreading to the house, Dunn said.

The residents stayed with neighbors, Dunn said.

==
I am betting the batteries were being charged. If you're going to leave batteries hooked up to a charger, use my power strip.

Fire started by space heater too close to curtains

2007-02-01T16:32:00.000-08:00

05:46 PM EST on Monday, January 29, 2007

By 13News

A space heater’s to blame for starting a fire that’s left a Suffolk family without a home.

Fire started around 4:00 a.m. Saturday on Holland Road near Kenyon Roads.

Three people got out, but an 80-year-old man had to be rescued.

Suffolk fire investigators said the space heater was set too close to curtains and they caught on fire.

LINK

UL tests space heaters to make sure they prevent fabric from coming in contact with the heater elements. The fires still happen. Might not, if they had used my power strip.

Toaster Blamed For Fire in Hertz break room

2007-02-01T16:19:00.000-08:00

Toaster Blamed For Fire In Rohnert Park

(BCN) ROHNERT PARK Fire sprinklers contained a fire that was started by electrical wiring in a toaster in an employee break room at the Hertz Equipment Rental business, the Rohnert Park Public Safety Department reported Tuesday afternoon.

The fire caused $10,000 in water and smoke damage.

Sgt. Art Sweeney said an alarm company reported a fire alarm with water flowing from the sprinkler system at the rental business at 5500 Commerce Blvd. around 9:25 a.m. An employee also reported smoke billowing from the upstairs break room, Sweeney said.

Firefighters from the Rohnert Park and Rancho Adobe departments responded to the blaze in the second floor mezzanine of the metal frame and metal-sided building, Sweeney said.

The sprinklers in the room were functioning and kept the fire at bay until firefighters arrived, Sweeney said. The fire was brought under control in 14 minutes and despite minor structural damage, the business resumed normal operations, Sweeney said.

From LINK

Space heater starts fatal trailer fire

2007-02-01T16:04:00.000-08:00

(AP) Oakdale, Minn. Authorities believe a space heater caused a mobile home fire that killed an Oakdale, Minn. man.

The victim has been identified as Dale Powers, 61. He died while apparently trying to escape the fire in his mobile home Saturday morning, said Oakdale police Sgt. Jack Kettler.

Authorities found Powers unconscious only a few feet from the door when they forced their way into his burning home at the Whispering Oaks Mobile Home Park.

LINK

Space heater blamed for furniture store fire

2007-02-01T15:41:00.000-08:00

Gulfport firefighters were called to the Furniture Ranch just before 3pm. A steady stream of smoke rose from the roof of the structure.

Fire in the back of that building caused extensive damage inside. There was also heavy smoke damage next door in a space leased by FEMA. J&J Hair Design, which leases space in the same building as the furniture store, had less severe smoke damage.

One employee of the furniture store was taken to the hospital for possible smoke inhalation.

A part owner of the buildings, Margaret Jean Kalif, told WLOX News the fire may have been caused by a space heater.

More at LINK

It bears repeating: space heaters should have a smoke shutoff or be attached to power strips with a smoke shutoff

3 escape fire caused by space heater

2007-01-27T12:12:00.000-08:00

Northeast Salem
January 26, 2007

A portable heater in a bedroom of a northeast Salem house ignited nearby combustibles Thursday morning and caused about $68,000 in damage, Salem fire officials said.

Three of the house's four residents were home at the time. All escaped without injury, fire spokesman Bill Holmstrom said.

The fire occurred about 7:48 a.m. at 4788 Niles Ave. NE.

Firefighters said that flames were shooting out the windows of the single-story house.
....
-- Dennis Thompson Jr.

More at LINK

Toast blamed for factory fire

2007-01-25T07:59:00.000-08:00

By:KEVIN P. O'CONNOR, Times staff writer

CENTRAL FALLS - Toast that refused to pop started a fire that shut down a factory Monday morning.

AMC Bag Co., 152 Railroad St., was ordered closed at 11 a.m., an hour after Ann Colaluca was chased from the kitchen at the company by the flames that were climbing the walls.

Colaluca put something in the toaster and then left to answer the phone just before 10 a.m., firefighters say. When she returned, minutes later, the pressed cardboard walls behind the kitchen counter were on fire.

"The alarm went off," she said. "When I went to check, the room was on fire.

"I called the fire department and got out of there."

Firefighters with Engine Two pulled up two minutes later to see smoke pouring from the eaves of the building and from the open front door.

Capt. Manny Marques and Firefighters Matt Moulton and Mark Landry were able to get into the business and knock down the flames within seconds. Fire crews that pulled up behind them entered the business to pull down ceiling tiles and rip back wallboard to get at the hotspots in the framing of the building.

More at LINK

laptop blamed

2007-01-24T14:18:00.000-08:00

Charging laptop may be to blame for Lakeview blaze

January 24, 2007
FROM STNG WIRE REPORTS
A new laptop that was charging may be to blame for a fire inside a Lakeview apartment with no working smoke detectors early Wednesday.

A couch caught fire in the 500 block of West Briar Place in the back of the top floor of a five-story, brick apartment building that is of a “considerable size,” according to Fire Media Affairs Director Larry Langford.

Two young men visiting the country, possibly from India, had been charging a new laptop computer -- about 2 or 3 days old -- near the couch. The Office of Fire Investigations believes the computer, or its battery, may have overheated and caught fire, Langford said.

The two men did not smoke and there were no other apparent sources of heat. The laptop was plugged into a power strip that was plugged into a wall, Langford said.

More at LINK

Too bad they didn't have one of MY power strips.

Fire from space heater kills toddler

2007-01-18T11:31:00.000-08:00

Westmoreland, Oneida County (WSYR-TV) – The Oneida County Sheriff’s Department says a space heater likely started the fire that killed a 1-year-old little girl.

Tiffany Grant was inside the home at 7326 East Main Street in the Town of Westmoreland, when the fire started at approximately 6:45 this morning. All five family members were sleeping at the time.

More at LINK

Authorities are calling a fire on East Main Street a horrible tragedy. LINK

It's more than just a tragedy, in my opinion. It's preventable if we get the word out that either space heaters should have a smoke shutoff or be attached to power strips with a smoke shutoff.

Six puppies die in Lompoc shed fire caused by halogen lamp

2007-01-18T11:27:00.000-08:00

Associated Press

LOMPOC, Calif. - Six newborn puppies died in a shed fire caused by a halogen lamp intended to ward off freezing temperatures.

Wednesday's blaze destroyed the aluminum shed and two motorcycles stored inside, Battalion Chief Stan Hart said.

The heat lamp intended to protect the animals from the cold was apparently knocked over.
...

"The occupant put a (halogen) lamp on the shed to keep the animals warm. Apparently, it was knocked over, and this started the fire," Hart said. "We are fortunate it was detected when it was."

LINK

This is exactly the kind of fire I think my SmokeShutoff Power Strip (TM) can prevent. I bet the power strip would have cut off and sounded a smoke alarm before the lamp could get the fire to full ignition.

Air freshener sparks house fire

2007-01-17T12:01:00.000-08:00

LINK

JACKSONVILLE, FL -- A consumer warning: a report from firefighters says a popular air freshener sparked a fire inside a Westside home.

It's not a small plug-in air freshener they're talking about. Attorneys say it's a Febreze Scentstories machine, about the size of a small toaster.

You pop in a plastic disc and press play, and the unit sends out one of five different scents. The disc rotates to send out a different scent every half-hour.

They're popular in homes and dorms, but a JFRD report shows one of the machines was at the center of a Westside fire last week.

A cleanup crew was trying to wipe the stench of smoke out of that home Thursday afternoon. The scrubbing inside could go on for three weeks.

They'll do some repair work, too. Below a window is a wide hole firefighters cut to get to Ruby Grimes as a fire burned in her back bedroom.

A Jacksonville Fire and Rescue Department report obtained by First Coast News tells how rescuers had to scoop up Grimes from her bed and carry her outside.

The report also pinpoints what the commander on the scene saw as the cause of the blaze: a plug in air freshener. Specifically, attorneys say, a Febreze Scentstories machine.

The report cites a short circuit in the unit's wiring as the flashpoint for the fire.

Procter and Gamble is the company that has marketed the machines since their release more than two years ago. A spokesman says they've never seen a confirmed case of a Febreze machine starting a fire.

"We would not expect the Scentstories device to be involved in an incident like this," Ross Holthouse told First Coast News by phone, adding that product safety is, "something that we're really concerned about and that we're really passionate about."

The company says it will investigate.

First Coast News' own research also turned up no cases of fires caused by the Febreze machines.

2007-01-11T13:48:00.000-08:00

Overheated cord caused fatal fire
Thursday, January 11, 2007

SPRINGFIELD - An overheated electrical extension cord in the living room started the Sunday fire that killed Lynn Etheridge-Michel, 53, and her son Jakob Michel, 16, in their home at 42 Nathaniel St., according to members of the Springfield Arson and Bomb Squad and state troopers from the state fire marshal's office.

More at LINK

I think there's a good chance there was smoke for a while before the fire ignited and flames got out of control. It's of course a bad idea to use a thin cord which can overheat. But still if the cord had been plugged into something that would cut off power if smoke was detected, maybe they'd still be alive. I honestly believe my product can save lives.

Space heater blamed

2007-01-09T11:00:00.000-08:00

CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- Fire investigators have ruled a house fire in northeast Charlotte accidental.

The blaze was started by a space heater being too close to some items in the bedroom. It started about 1:30 a.m. Sunday on Breezewood Drive.

One person inside the home went to the hospital but is expected to be OK.

LINK
===

Space heaters usually have tipover switches so they cut off if they get tipped over. But what they don't have is a smoke cutoff. I think my SmokeShutoff(TM) Power Strip can save lots of lives by shutting off space heaters at the first sign of smoke if a blanket or something comes in contact with it.

greenhouse heat lamps blamed

2007-01-08T19:00:00.000-08:00

Ceramic Heaters Blamed For Fire That Destroyed Home

POSTED: 4:47 pm EST January 10, 2007
UPDATED: 5:26 pm EST January 10, 2007

LINK
TITUSVILLE, Fla. -- Eyewitness News has new details about a fire that destroyed a three-story home in Titusville. The woman who lived there had ceramic heaters and those heaters somehow started the fire. She used the special heaters to protect her orchids.

An insurance adjuster was at the scene surveying the damage to the $670,000, waterfront home. The inside has partially collapsed and the back is virtually gone.

Firefighters helped the Ward family move some of their belongings out of their home to keep the antiques and valuables from getting any more damaged inside the charred remains of what was a picturesque home.

Fire investigators believe the blaze started with an electrical fire. Authorities said it appears heat lamps used to keep orchids warm in the cool temperatures were at the root of the fire.

Toaster blamed

2007-01-05T11:28:00.000-08:00

LINK

Pizza Causes House Fire
By Erin Lynch
01/05/2007

A 75-year-old York Road man inadvertently set his kitchen on fire after a he placed a frozen pizza in a toaster oven Monday and left it unattended.

According to the fire report, the Emergency Communication Center received a call of a house fire at 108 York Road from a neighbor's home at 9:10 p.m. When firefighters arrived on scene, the report states, fire was visible from the home along with "heavy smoke" coming from the chimney.

he had placed a pizza in the toaster oven and then left to watch television. According to the report, about 20 minutes later the man discovered a fire by the toaster oven and tried to put it out. The man's attempts at extinguishing the fire were unsuccessful, according to the report, so he went across the street, to 113 York Road, and call 9-1-1.

According to Fire Marshal Asst. Chief William Kessler, the fire started in the kitchen either in or next to the toaster oven. In the report, Kessler stated that there was "a substantial amount of combustibles in contact with and in the area of the toaster oven. These were ignited while the toaster oven was unattended [and] the fire spread to surrounding combustibles."

==

It seems like you should put toasters on my SmokeShutoff(TM) power strip especially if the home occupants are old, or have any other conditions which would raise their risk but they still want to live independently. Maybe something fell against the toaster oven and if it had smoldered for a bit before combustion, the power strip would have shut off the toaster and prevented the fire.

East Hampton woman dies in fire blamed on toaster

2007-01-05T11:05:00.000-08:00

LINK
1/5/2007, 1:34 p.m. ET
The Associated Press

EAST HAMPTON, N.Y. (AP) — A woman died after a fire in her home that investigators believe may have been caused by a toaster, Suffolk County police said Friday.

Jill Siegel, 58, was found unconscious on a couch in the living room of her Manor Lane South home shortly after 11 p.m. Thursday. A neighbor out walking his dog saw fire coming from the house's kitchen and called 911.

Siegel was taken to Southampton Hospital, where she was declared dead a short time later.

Home Theater equipment blamed

2007-01-05T10:03:00.000-08:00

Source
One of our customers in Concord recently learned that lesson first-hand when fire broke out in their relatively new home. The fire started in the home theater, mostly likely sparked by an electrical problem. During construction American Alarm had installed a comprehensive home security system which detected the fire and immediately sounded an alarm in the house and at our 24-hour Security Command Center. Within seconds the Concord fire department was on the way. They knocked down the fire, containing damage to the home theater area.

Boston Globe reference

Freezer suspected in restaurant fire

2007-01-03T16:02:00.000-08:00

By Jeff Small

(KSDK) - Two Kirkwood restaurants are temporarily out of business following an early morning fire.

Hardest hit was Frank 'n Patty's restaurant in the 400 block of South Kirkwood road. Firefighters got a call around 4:30 Wednesday morning for an automatic alarm sounding inside the nearby First Watch restaurant.

Minutes later, firefighters went inside and found smoke coming through the roof. About the same time, they discovered the fire at Frank and Patty's. One of the owners of the hot dog-hamburger business says he got the shocking phone call early this morning.

It was another business partner saying the restaurant was on fire.

They believe it started in or around a freezer in the back of the restaurant.

More at LINK

Electric blanket catches fire

2007-01-03T16:00:00.000-08:00

Mother, son injured in fire on Tuesday

By DON LEHMAN, dlehman@poststar.com
Wednesday, January 3, 2007 5:10 PM EST

JOHNSBURG -- A mother and son suffered minor injuries in a fire that destroyed their Holland Road home early Tuesday, officials said.

Resident Denise Baker and her son, Clifford Baker, 20, were treated at Glens Falls Hospital and released. Denise Baker suffered smoke inhalation and her son suffered minor burns in the 5 a.m. fire that destroyed the home at 44 Holland Road.

Three members of the Baker family were routed from the home and lost all their belongings because of the fire, which was apparently caused by a malfunctioning electric blanket.

"We lost everything," Baker said.

Warren County Fire Coordinator Marvin Lemery said the older-model blanket apparently shorted out, causing burns to Clifford Baker's legs and a fire in his room.

MORE at LINK

Cordless phone blamed for house fire

2007-01-03T06:11:00.000-08:00

By DAVE BAKKE

Published Wednesday, January 03, 2007

The fire at Susan Harmony's house on Grandview Street made Police Beat on Nov. 14.

But, as is the case with many Police Beat items, there is more to the story. In fact, this story still is in progress.

Susan had not been gone from home more than a few minutes when the fire started. The cause apparently was a cordless phone that wasn't settled properly in its cradle. The phone arced and started the fire in the kitchen. Though the fire began in the kitchen, damage was widespread throughout the small house.

(continued at link)

Blanket over rope light blamed for condo fire

2007-01-01T17:44:00.000-08:00

LINK

The Beaverton Valley Times 1/1/2007

Tualatin Valley Fire & Rescue crews said a sprinkler system saved six Aloha condominums from major fire damage early New Year’s Day.

Fire damage was limited to a second-floor bedroom of one condo at about 7:20 a.m. at 1040 S.W. 170th Ave.

A blanket draped over an operating rope light apparently caused the fire. The blaze caused about $20,000 damage to the condo.

Firefighters from the fire district’s Butner Road Station 61 arrived at the condomiums to find a second-floor townhouse condo filled with smoke. They searched the condo and found that a residential sprinkler system had extinguished a fire in a bedroom on the third floor.

Fire damage was confined to the bed and carpet of one bedroom. Minor smoke damaged occurred throughout the two-story unit with water damage occurring to the unit involved in the fire and two first floor condos. No one was at home in the fire-damaged condo at the time of the blaze. No one was injured.

No one was home in the condo that had been damaged.

Fire investigators said that had the building not been fitted with residential sprinklers, the fire would have likely damaged or destroyed a major portion of the six-unit building ruining the possessions of many of the occupants.

Sleeping residents in adjacent units would have been particularly vulnerable, according to firefighters.

Fire investigators said the heat buildup from the rope light ignited a blanket and a mattress.

Puppies' electric heater suspected in fire

2006-12-30T20:39:00.000-08:00

LINK
KEMPTVILLE -- Some residents of a home on Craig Road, west of Kemptville, are out of their house for the time being after a fire there Friday afternoon.

Emergency dispatchers got the call at about 2:45 p.m.

Harold Workman, deputy chief for the Kemptville Fire Department, said it took about 10 minutes to get the blaze under control.

"It was pretty much involved by the time we got there, but the knockdown was pretty fast," Workman said.

No one was injured. Workman added that residents of the home are insured and have found alternative accommodations.

He estimated about $60,000 worth of damage.

"Part of the roof is burned off and there's some damage to the back bedrooms," Workman said.

Workman said the fire started in an unattached shed, which served as a dog kennel with about 10 puppies, before spreading to the house.

All of the dogs were rescued, he said.

Workman said the cause of the fire has not been determined but noted there was an electric heater in the shed.

There were about 15 Kemptville firefighters involved.

Workman said a truck from Merrickville-Wolford, with six firefighters, was also on scene to provide extra water.

Christmas lights may have caused fatal fire

2006-12-30T20:15:00.000-08:00

LINK
Christmas lights may have caused fatal fire
Five killed; Officials fault electrical cord

By KATHY MATHESON
The Associated Press
December 30. 2006 8:55AM

A fire that may have been caused by an electrical cord connected to Christmas decorations swept through four Allentown, Pa., row houses Friday, killing five people and injuring several others, officials said.

The holiday decorations had been plugged into a power strip joined to an extension cord, Fire Capt. Robert Scheirer said.

The cause of the early morning fire was preliminarily ruled accidental. Investigators were trying to determine if the wiring failed, a specific ornament shorted out or if something else was involved, Scheirer said.

The three-story row home where the fire started had no working smoke alarms. Three men and two women died inside, Scheirer said.

Firefighters were able to get the fire under control by 7 a.m., about half an hour after it started. They also rescued two adults and six children from a row house next door.

The injured were treated for smoke inhalation and released.

The other row homes that burned were either vacant or the people inside escaped on their own, Scheirer said. Four other houses on the street were damaged by smoke.

The Lehigh County Coroner's Office identified the victims as Barbara Houx, 52; Casundra Miller, 28; Shawn Sandt, 22; Randy Keding, 27; and Allen Lindenmuth, 48. All died of smoke inhalation, the coroner's office said in a news release.

Brenda Pun, 41, described Houx as a generous person who was active in the community.

"I just talked to her yesterday," Pun said as she stood outside the home. "She would give to anybody, no matter what they needed."

The blaze was the city's first fatal fire since 2004, the mayor's office said.

Water cooler suspected in house fire

2006-12-30T19:34:00.000-08:00

LINK
LEWISTON, Maine - Police made quick work of a kitchen fire on Pleasant Street on Friday but heat and fast-moving flames caused heavy damage at the single-family home.

The 1:45 p.m. blaze at 340 Pleasant St. burned through a kitchen and into the attic while heat melted a television and other items in different parts of the house.

Nobody was at home when the fire began, and there were no injuries. Investigators said a man who lives there left roughly 20 minutes before the fire flared up.

Fire investigators were looking at a kitchen water cooler as a possible cause of the blaze. Damage to the house was estimated at $50,000.

holiday lights may be to blame

2006-12-28T07:16:00.000-08:00

link
PROSPECT HEIGHTS, Ill. Firefighters in suburban Prospect Heights say malfunctioning holiday lights may be to blame for a Christmas Eve fire that left 52 condo residents homeless.

Officials have ruled that the blaze was accidental.

No people were injured in the fire Sunday morning, but two cats were killed.

The fire caused an estimated $900,000 in damage to the three-story building.

Prospect Heights Fire District Deputy Chief Tim Jones urged residents to be careful when hanging lights. He cautioned not to plug too many lights into one outlet.

A fund for the fire's victims has been established at a Prospect Heights bank.

Living room lamp suspected in fire

2006-12-26T07:15:00.000-08:00

LINK

TUCKAHOE, NY - Although the house that has been in his wife's family for three generations was gutted by fire the day before Christmas, Henry Norman Jr. considered himself lucky yesterday as he picked through its charred remains.

"It was a blessing," said the lifelong Tuckahoe resident and MTA bus operator. "We're still alive."

Norman found his and his wife's Christmas presents intact, along with the collard greens they planned to bring to Christmas dinner.

Standing in his burned-out dining room, he sifted through the debris for a few belongings. The blades of a ceiling fan drooped from the heat of yesterday's flames and not a window was left. Sheet rock had melted from the walls in the living room, and all that remained of the sofas was a pile of metal coils.

When the fire started at 4:19 p.m., Norman, the son of a former Tuckahoe police chief, said he was upstairs and his wife, Irene, a postal worker at the Harrison mail distribution center, was cooking him a steak in the kitchen.

He said a power surge caused a 40-year-old living room lamp to catch fire, spreading in seconds throughout the downstairs and into the floor of the upstairs bedrooms.

Extension cord suspected in blaze

2006-12-24T09:16:00.000-08:00

LINK

Fire investigators are focusing on a faulty extension cord as the possible cause of smoldering fire that caused an estimated $120,000 damage to a West Vancouver home.

Christmas tree lights cause house fire

2006-12-24T09:14:00.000-08:00

LINK

House fire ruins a KC family’s holiday
By MICHAEL MANSUR
The Kansas City Star

LaShawna Carter now must live the Christmas nightmare of many parents — Christmas has gone up in smoke.

Carter had left her south Kansas City home Friday morning to sign a new rental lease when officials summoned her back because of fire. She arrived to find her landlord, TV crews and a burnt-out living room in the home in the 6000 block of East 100th Street. The Christmas tree and all the presents were gone.

A Fire Department spokesman said an electrical short caused the fire.

Carter said she thinks some old tree lights that her kids found in storage set the blaze. The flaming tree fell onto a sofa, catching it on fire, she said. “I’d been leaving the Christmas tree lights on all the time,” Carter said. “I didn’t really know any better.”

Lamp suspected in fire

2006-12-23T02:00:00.000-08:00

PETER PEREIRA/The Standard-TimesNew Bedford firefighters salvage dozens of Christmas presents after fighting a fire at an Allen Street home yesterday. The blaze caused heavy damage, displaced seven residents for the holidays and sent one person to St. Luke’s Hospital with minor injuries. Story, more photos, A3.

Fire drives 7 from home at Christmas
By BRIAN BOYD, Standard-Times staff writer

Link to article

NEW BEDFORD — Fire tore through a house stocked with holiday gifts yesterday morning, leaving five members of an extended family and a young couple without a home three days before Christmas.
A blaze gutted parts of the second and third floors of 168 Allen St. shortly after 10 a.m. Everyone in the house got out, and one person was taken to St. Luke's Hospital.
"Oh, dear Lord," a distraught Grace Ponte said as smoke and flames poured from her home.
The fire apparently was accidental and caused "heavy damage" to parts of the house, South End Fire District Chief Peter Molleo said. The cause remains under investigation.
Ms. Ponte, who was not home at the time, said her father, Manuel Telheiro, burned his hands. She added that he is resilient.
"I just want my Dad to come back and feel fine," she said. "Everything else is replaceable."
Mr. Telheiro was listed in good condition yesterday afternoon, St. Luke's spokeswoman Joyce Brennan said.
A column of smoke rose from the house and flames poured from the roof. A half hour into their battle, firefighters evacuated the house. From the outside, they concentrated a stream of water onto the roof.
District Chief Molleo said the firefighters inside were ordered to leave when the fire reached the attic. He said fire officials were concerned that the roof would collapse. Firefighters went back after a short period, and the fire soon was under control.
Family members said the fire apparently started in a second-floor walk-in closet, possibly because of a lamp.

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