House Fire in Bellingham, WA.

1/16/2019 (Permalink)

The fire started on the outside of the home before moving inside and setting off the smoke alarm.

The number one cause of residential home fires is cooking. The numbers show that between 41% to 51% of all fires occur in the kitchen.

Not all fires start in the kitchen. A recycling bin than doubled, wrongly, as an ashtray for cigarettes was the culprit at this home. The fire started in the recycling bin and burned the exterior siding before entering the home through an exterior vent. The fire then began to move into the building envelope, but thankfully the smoke detectors alerted the residents and they were able to contact the fire department.

The fire department arrived shortly there after and was able to douse the flames from out side and keep the fire form having a catastrophic effect on the interior of the home. 

Fire safety and education is helping us reduce the number of total fires and injuries caused during residential fires. Always be on guard.