Fire marshal offers safety tips following Whitehouse fire

TYLER — Smith County officials are passing along some safety tips in the wake of a Wednesday mobile home fire on Lakeview Circle in Whitehouse — and as East Texans deal with freezing weather. After a preliminary investigation, Interim Fire Marshal Chad Hogue reports that the fire originated on the front porch of the home where a clamp-style heat lamp was being used for outdoor animals. The home was estimated to be 70 percent destroyed by the fire. “When using a clamp-style heating lamp, always make sure it is securely attached and maintain at least 3 feet of clearance from anything that could burn,” Hogue said as quoted in a news release. No one was home at the time of the fire but one dog perished.

Here are some fire safety tips when heating your home as we brace for a few freezing days ahead:

– Make sure Christmas trees and/or furniture are not blocking an exit.

– Plug only one heat-producing appliance (such as a space heater) into an electrical outlet at a time and never use an extension cord.

– Keep anything that can burn at least 3 feet away from any heat source like fireplaces, wood stoves, and radiator or space heaters.

– Never use an oven or stovetop to heat your home.

– Be sure to have a properly mounted and functioning smoke alarm in every sleeping room and hallway of your home.

– Have at least 1 carbon monoxide detector in your home.