14 News, The Tri-State's News and Weather Leader-Fire officials address winter fire safety

Fire officials address winter fire safety

By Ben Garbarek - bio | email | Twitter
Posted by Noah Stubbs - email

OWENSBORO, KY (WFIE) - As temperatures outside start to drop, firefighters say the number of house fires start to go up.

"Typically we have several fires during that first cold time of the year because people turn their thermostats up or they build a fire in their fireplaces or their wood burners because they haven't cleaned them out and they haven't maintained them," Steve Leonard with the Owensboro Fire Department said.

The fire department says many fires start this time of year because of poorly maintained chimneys, and 911 dispatchers say a fire in your chimney can quickly spread to the rest of your home.

"It can happen so quickly," 911 Director Paul Nave said. "It can break through the chimney into your attic and you may not be aware there's a fire 'til the point where flames are coming out of your house."

Chimney experts recommend a professional cleaning once a year.

Some say cleaning out a chimney is harder than it looks.

"There are a lot of features of a fireplace that can be deceiving to a home owner as far as what is a safety and what is not a safety item," Excel Home Solutions representative Justin Hendrix said.

Emergency dispatchers say if you smell smoke in your home, better play it safe and call 911 than to be sorry you didn't.

Dispatchers say there are no penalties for calling in the fire department for a false alarm.

It's only illegal if you knowingly call in a fake emergency.

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