AFTER POWER SHUT OFF, RESIDENTS USE PROPANE TO HEAT HOME, CAUSING FIRE

By Miriam Raftery

March 7, 2011 (El Cajon) – A fire at a home located at 154 N. Westwind Drive in El Cajon last night caused $75,000 to $100,000 in damage, displacing three men and causing minor injury to one.

“Upon investigation, it was found that the tenants of the home had been using propane gas inside the home for lighting and heat since the electrical power had been turned off to the house,” a press release from Heartland Fire & Rescue stated. “One of the tenants, while attempting to transfer propane to smaller containers, accidentally set off the blaze.”

The American Red Cross is providing assistance for three men, two adults, one dog and a cat that were displaced by the fire.

Early reports of a possible meth lab and weapons in the home proved false upon investigation, Heartland now confirms.

Captain Mike Scott with El Cajon Fire warned that using devices designed for outdoor use to heat a home can be dangerous. “The homes are designed to have natural gas pipelines with a certain standard of pipes into the house,” he said, adding that very few portable heating devices are designed for use inside. The tenants in this case were using both a generator and propane tanks, he said.

“Typically what happens when se see those kinds of devices is they get too close to combustible materials, drapes or bedding. But in this case it had a leak.”

Even electrical heaters can be dangerous if cords become frayed or a short sparks a fire.

Be sure that any heating devices used indoors are intended for indoor use, and inspect all equipment regularly for safety.