Clothes on Dehumidifier Starts Basement Fire

On Wednesday, December 1, 2010 at 10:19pm, the Longwood Volunteers, along with Station 36 (Po-Mar-Lin) and Engine 24-6 (Kennett), were dispatched to the 1800 block of Brooks Road for the reported house on fire. Initial calls to the 911 center stated a pile of clothing in the basement was on fire. Chief 25 (Ruoss) responded 60 seconds after dispatch and was advised that a pile of clothes placed on top of a space heater had ignited and the residents were evacuating the property. Chief 25 arrived and established Brooks Road Command with nothing showing from the exterior and a light smoke condition in the house.

Engine 25-1 (A.McCarthy) arrived and pulled past the attached garage, leaving room for Ladder 25 (Cressman) which took the driveway and put the aerial ladder to the roof. The Engine crew went to the basement to handle the fire while the Ladder crew threw ladders and checked the house for any additional people or pets. Engine 36 arrived and pulled in the driveway behind the Ladder and sent their crew inside to assist with removing the burnt clothes. Engine 25-2, Tanker and Tac 36 and Engine 24-6 all staged on Brooks Road upon their arrival.

Crews spent the next hour carrying piles of clothes from the basement to the exterior of the house. Once outside, the burning clothes were hosed down with a booster line from Engine 25-1 and the undamaged clothes were stacked in piles on a salvage tarp set up in the front yard. Once the situation was under control, the crews carried the undamamged clothes back into the resident's house. The crews were released at 2341 hours.

With the holidays and cold weather approaching, the Longwood Fire Company would like to remind all of our residents about some helpful tips to avoid a potentially dangerous situation:
1.) Ensure that all chimneys are checked and cleaned
2.) Avoid using space heaters near curtains, clothes, beds etc.
3.) Do not overload electrical outlets
4.) Do not place candles near curtains, clothes and especially beds.
5.) Have an emergency exit plan ready (two ways out!) and practice with children
6.) Make sure any electrical component that will be used around a Christmas tree is in good condition and free of breaks or frays in the cord. Here's why --> http://www.youtube.com/watch v=fZFhbe6tQLo

In the event your house does catch on fire, get out and stay out! Call 911 IMMEDIATELY from a cell phone or neighbor's house and do not go back in the house.