For Immediate Release

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winter fire safety tips

Littleton Fire Rescue (LFR) wants to make the public aware of a potential electrical hazard that has caused several major house fires in the Littleton area and also provide some general winter fire safety tips.

LFR has responded to two house fires recently where the cause of the fire was due to electrical arcing at the main electrical service panel on the exterior of the home. This arcing was a result of the main electrical service line being pulled loose from the breaker panel due to earth backfill settling around the home foundation. This hazard is found where the main electrical lines are run underground onto the property, not where the lines are run overhead from power poles.

In a typical situation, the main electrical lines are run underground to the home foundation and then up to the breaker panel within a conduit that attaches to the breaker panel. When the backfilled earth around the foundation settles over time, a condition may occur where the conduit, and the main electrical line within it, is pulled down from the breaker panel. This stress can loosen the connection of the main electrical line to the breaker panel and cause the electricity to attempt to arc across this gap. This arcing eventually ignites the exterior of the structure. Because the fire starts on the exterior of the structure, an interior smoke alarm system is not activated until the fire spreads to the inside of the home.

LFR urges homeowners with underground electrical service to check the condition of their breaker panel/conduit connection. If a gap is found or the conduit connection is broken, call Xcel Energy and ask for an inspection and repair.      

SAFETY TIPS

FIREPLACES/WOOD STOVES

• Have flues inspected and cleaned annually – check for soot and creosote build-up and physical damage.
• Always use a fireplace screen.
• Use proper fire starters like newspaper or kindling – never use flammable liquids such as gasoline or lighter fluid.
• Allow fireplace ashes to cool overnight before disposing of them in a metal container. Place the container outside, at least ten feet from the house.

PORTABLE ELECTRIC SPACE HEATERS

• Make sure the heater is UL listed with automatic tip-over shut-off and high-temperature limit switch.
• Keep at least three feet clearance from combustible items such as furniture, curtains, blankets, and paper.
• Never use an extension cord with an electric heater; it can overload the electrical circuit.
• Unplug heaters when not in use, leaving the room, or going to bed.

CARBON MONOXIDE DETECTORS

• Install CO detectors in your home and test them periodically to be sure they are operating correctly.

CHRISTMAS TREES

• If using an artificial tree, be sure it is certified and labeled as fire retardant.
• For live trees, cut an inch or two off the base of the trunk before installing in the stand; be sure to add water to the stand daily. Don’t locate the tree near heat sources that would dry out the tree prematurely.
• Use lights that are labeled by an independent testing laboratory; and check for worn or frayed wiring.
• Always turn off lights before leaving the house or going to bed.
• Never use candles to decorate a tree.
• Remove the tree when needles start dropping.  Take the tree to a re-cycling location; don’t keep it near the house since it is extremely flammable when dry.