RE: It's an uphill battle in terms of fire safety here in Maine . . .

[firefighterjake]

Second fire mentioned in less than a week (actual fires occurred earlier though) where folks had combustibles located too close to their woodstove.

I swear I sometimes wonder if attempting to teach folks about fire safety is making any difference . . .

http://bangordailynews.com/2017/01/...burned-after-chair-by-wood-stove-caught-fire/

 

[bholler]

I swear I sometimes wonder if attempting to teach folks about fire safety is making any difference . . .

Yes many people just don't want to listen. They are convinced it will not happen to them or they have been doing it that way for 30 years so nothing bad could possibly happen. It is rather frustrating at times.

 

[xman23]

I think people today are so use to a high level of product safety designed into everything they have. But operating a open fire in your house requires some thought. Not rocket science, but good common sense of what your dealing with. I haven't checked this. I wonder If our stove manuals have a detailed safety instructions. Fifteen years ago I almost burned the new cabin down with week old ash on the side deck.

 

[peakbagger]

Its cold and folks do what they have to keep warm. Most of the time they get away with it but on rare occasions they don't. As I had observed in the other thread that got closed its usually low income rural folks who don't have a lot and are barely scraping by.

 

[bholler]

As I had observed in the other thread that got closed its usually low income rural folks who don't have a lot and are barely scraping by.

Not from what I have seen infact I have seen many times lower income people are much more careful about it. No they may not have the best stove or the best setup but they pay attention. I get the it will never happen to me mentality much more from higher income people. But those are generalizations and are not always true by any means

 

[Squisher]

I think carelessness crosses all income levels.

We were poor growing up, espescially when I was young. We got by, but I'm talking lots of puffed wheat and the occasional dog bone stew. We heated with wood because it was cheap/free. But from the earliest of days I remember it never being taken lightly or ever cut corners on safety. I was taught to keep the area clean and clear of combustibles. We had a wood cook stove and a freestander that heated a old double wide with some awesome additions. Lol.

I have a friend who's been a firefighter for decades, he's often told me that a common theme in homefires is clutter. Now this guy is a neat freak so he'd pick up on these kinds of things, even while fighting a fire I could see him organizing or putting things away.

So based on that and my 'training' as a child, I endeavour to always keep the stove area neat and tidy.

It's terrible when tragedy descends on people, even worse when it could've been avoided by some simple due diligence.

 

[peakbagger]

I should have put in one point that seems to cross all income barriers and that is the improper storage and disposal of ashes.

 

[Sodbuster]

No different than smoking/drinking in bed, eventually it's going to get you.
1. I bet his stove wasn't mobile home approved.
2. Good God how close was he?
3. The wood nearest my PE Summit is approximately 18" from the side of the stove (I guesstimated, but can assure you it's to code). It measured
98 deg F with the infrared, that's not going to ignite anything.

There has to be more to the story.

 

[Squisher]

No smoke detectors, that in itself shows a complete lack of concern for fire safety.

I've heard of fires started from leaving doors cracked trying to get draft out of a plugged up system.

 

[begreen]

No different than smoking/drinking in bed, eventually it's going to get you.
1. I bet his stove wasn't mobile home approved.
2. Good God how close was he?
3. The wood nearest my PE Summit is approximately 18" from the side of the stove (I guesstimated, but can assure you it's to code). It measured
98 deg F with the infrared, that's not going to ignite anything.

There has to be more to the story.

Your summit has shielded sides that reduce radiated heat. This could have been an unshielded stove with glowing sides for all we know.

 

[firefighterjake]

I think carelessness crosses all income levels.

. . .

I have a friend who's been a firefighter for decades, he's often told me that a common theme in homefires is clutter. Now this guy is a neat freak so he'd pick up on these kinds of things, even while fighting a fire I could see him organizing or putting things away.

. . .

It's terrible when tragedy descends on people, even worse when it could've been avoided by some simple due diligence.

Some very good points made here . . . and all true based on 27 years of experience in the field.

I will say however that not all, in fact not the majority of home fires, are full of clutter . . . but it often seems as though the worse ones, the ones where we spend the most time at the fire scene are full of crap and clutter . . .

 

[firefighterjake]

No smoke detectors, that in itself shows a complete lack of concern for fire safety.

. ..

And the truly sad thing is a) many fire departments will offer to give or even install smoke detectors for folks who are financially impoverished (even though as an aside most detectors can be bought for as little as $10 which is pretty cheap life insurance in my opinion) and b) the American Red Cross right now is in the middle of an aggressive campaign to distribute smoke detectors to people who most need them in an effort to reduce the number of fire fatalities and injuries (in fact our City has participated in this program in the last two years.)

 

[kennyp2339]

Well carelessness does not discriminate, a back in the beginning of November one of our fd guys was at the fire house when his son called and said "dad you filled the house with smoke" Our member was scratching his head wondering how, his son said you forgot that you left a couple splits next to the stove and they started smoking, setting the smoke detectors off.
Purely a case of carelessness and a reminder.

 

[Squisher]

True. It just takes one slip up. A little OCD really pays off with wood burning.

 

[tbear853]

Was a time when a leading cause of death for house wives was clothing fires in the kitchen.

 

[kennyp2339]

Here's one a couple towns over yesterday http://www.njherald.com/20170110/fire-destroys-lake-mohawk-home homeowner left hot ashes on there front porch

 

[Squisher]

So tragic seeming to me. Senseless loss. Just from carelessness.

I know most everyone here is on the same page but I just wonder why/how people can be so reckless with their home and families safety?

I mean I've burned my whole life. And I think about it still a lot of how awful it would be to burn my home down. I could never convince myself to leave hot ashes anywhere near my home, if they weren't in the stove.

I've read of a few fires around here this year as well, but have no links to reports. As a sweep the news of any house fire really gets my attention.

 

[branchburner]

Your summit has shielded sides that reduce radiated heat. This could have been an unshielded stove with glowing sides for all we know.

I wonder about this every time I hear of a "too close to combustibles" fire. Regardless of what "official" recommended clearances might be, one has to use common sense and consider how hot his own particular stove can get at its potential hottest, and if they are too close then that what is combustibles WILL do: combust. The problem with other space heaters has to be 100x worse (curtains, clothing, etc.).

 

[Sodbuster]

Your summit has shielded sides that reduce radiated heat. This could have been an unshielded stove with glowing sides for all we know.

True, but then I doubt it would be mobile home rated. With the clearances I was given to work with I had to work hard, along with the stove shop to find a stove that would meet code. For all we know this may have been a garage sale find, and clearances weren't even considered. Saddest part is that like FFJ mentioned, just one working smoke detector probably would have saved his life.

 

[kennyp2339]

I wonder about this every time I hear of a "too close to combustibles" fire. Regardless of what "official" recommended clearances might be, one has to use common sense and consider how hot his own particular stove can get at its potential hottest, and if they are too close then that what is combustibles WILL do: combust. The problem with other space heaters has to be 100x worse (curtains, clothing, etc.).

There's a member here that has a new install with a couch to close to my comfort by the stove, I'm sure the clearances are honored but still the pics show it to close for me.