Firefighters Get A Busy Start This Winter Fire Season

Firefighters fear those with shelter may find themselves without a warm home.  Home fire season is here in full force and fire departments have been busy.

Luckily, no reports of any fatalities Tuesday, but firefighters say it’s still early in the season.  The U.S. Fire Administration has seen a dramatic increase in fatal home fires last year, nearly 70 percent.  They want to see those numbers drop this year.

Firefighters are feeling the heat as the thermometer drops.

“We’ve been fairly active for the past three weeks,” said Captain Scott Jerrell, Duffield Volunteer Fire Department.

Kenneth Neeley is one of the first to lose his home this winter season.  He was on his couch reading his bible when heard something pop.  Neeley opened a door to see what it was.

“The smoke about knocked me down,“ said Neeley.

To heat his home, he had his wood stove burning.

“I think the chimney might have busted,“ said Neeley.

The official cause of this fire is still unknown, but Captain Jerrell says chimney fires are not unusual.

“We start seeing a lot of problems with the flues either starting to burst to where they’ve been unexamined or see build up,“ said Captain Jerrell.

The Tennessee Fire Marshal says the number one cause of home fires is space heaters and firefighters say they can spark up when least expected.

“A lot of these space heaters work off a thermostat and even though you have them turned off, if it gets below a certain temperature, they will automatically turn themselves back on,“ said Captain Jerrell.

Fighting fires for firefighters is not only tough physically.

“It is tough, especially when you see the families that have lost everything especially even harder around the holiday season,“ said Captain Jerrell.

Neeley is staying with his daughter in Gate City.

Tennessee’s fire death rate is ranked fifth in the nation with nearly 28 deaths per million residents.  North Carolina is ranked 19th, and Virginia 34th with 10 per million.

Firefighters suggest keeping things away from heat sources, ensure you have properly working holiday lights, and have your chimneys cleaned and inspected.