KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — A fire started in a South Knoxville home over the weekend after a heater was left on, causing towels to catch on fire.
"The homeowner was not home, and the heater's thermostat was turned up just a little bit," said Mark Wilbanks, the Assistant Chief of KFD. "So, you know, like on a cool morning, you'll want the bathroom to be nice and warm for you. So you set that thermostat. Unfortunately, there were some rags that were piled up bath towels that were piled up in front of the heater. Those were combustible. So they caught on fire. And then that created a fire spread throughout the house. Unfortunately, they weren't home. And by the time the fire was discovered by a neighbor driving by, it was really too late."
He says it was preventable because if the heater wasn't on and combustible materials were not near it, it would not have started. Wilbanks also shared some tips to help you safely heat your home.
He says if you have a heater that's installed into a wall, which he says is common in older homes, do not turn it on unless you're near it and using it.
"Always keep all combustible items at least three feet away from that heater. Even if you have it turned off and your shirts off, it still potentially could get knocked on. So we want to keep combustible items like bath towels, things like that away," said Wilbanks.
He says if you're using a space heater, you should plug it directly into a wall outlet, never an extension cord. You should also keep flammable items away from it and only use it when you're near it as well.
"Sometimes people will use candles for heat and we do not recommend that — that's extremely dangerous. People will also use candles for other reasons. So you want to make sure that if you are using a candle, you're close by this time of year we do start to see an increase in fires and those fires typically can be started by heaters of some sort," said Wilbanks.
Wilbanks says the department also does not recommend the use of gas-burning heaters because they can cause carbon monoxide to build up in your home.
He says if you plan to use a fireplace, there are rules you should follow too.
"You want to make sure that you have a qualified chimney sweep that has looked at your chimney every year. Make sure that the flue pipe has been checked and is working appropriately. Make sure that you use appropriate wood and you have a screen that protects the wood when you are burning fire to keep it from splashing out away from the fireplace embers or anything like that. And then lastly, you don't want to be far away from those fires either," said Wilbanks.
For those who plan on using fire pits, there are still rules and regulations to follow even though you will be outside.
He says people should be especially cautious because of dry leaves that are falling on the ground at this time of year.