Heater issues spark three Culver fires, kill animals
Posted: Dec 17, 2008 08:19 PM
Culver resident David Henley says pig likely knocked over heat lamp or tossed hay on it, igniting fire
By Jennifer, Burns, KTVZ.COMIn a 10-hour span, Jefferson County Rural Fire District officials put out three fires in Culver, all started by heating devices for animals, several of which perished in the blazes.
Teresa Haro’s neighbors saw her chicken coop go up in flames.
“I was getting ready for bed, and the neighbor ran over and said the shed was on fire,” Haro, a Culver resident, said Wednesday.
One group of chickens were locked in a small coop with a water heater. They couldn’t escape the flames, killing five of Haro’s pets.
“You need it to keep the water from freezing, otherwise the chickens will die without the water,” Haro said.
Haro bought the heater two days ago, and checked it hours before it caught fire.
Six hours later and a mile away, a barn burned to the ground.
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Henley says one of the pigs either knocked over a heat lamp or tossed hay on top, igniting it.
“With pigs, they don’t have any hair,” he said. “So you have to have some sort of heat for them or they’ll freeze to death.”
A tractor, a feed grinder and 22 tons of alfalfa all went up in flames.
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Culver resident Jaye Reeves said, “I actually had my neighbor call me this morning said the doghouse was on fire and the fire department was on the way.”
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The Jefferson County RFPD has some tips for other pet and livestock owners:
Keep heating devices away from combustibles, and safely fasten heaters so they can’t be knocked over. Also, use UL approved heating devices, those devices are tested and meet electrical standards and rules.
more at LINK
Actually, heat pads are safer than lights. My power strip would make them even safer, raising an alarm and shutting them off at the first sign of smoke. And ETL listings are also permitted for NRTL test proof.