This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2015, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
An early Monday morning fire believed ignited by a space heater forced a Roy family of five to flee. Two children were treated for smoke inhalation, but no serious injuries were reported.
The blaze, believed to have started between 4 a.m. and 4:30 a.m., occurred at a home in the 1900 West block of 4900 South.
The blaze was contained to a bedroom where the space heater had been plugged in by the children's mother about an hour before an uncle smelled smoke and evacuated the family.
Firefighters, dispatched from a nearby station, quickly extinguished the flames.
A damage estimate had not yet been made, though the Roy Fire Department said smoke filled much of the rest of the house, rendering it temporarily uninhabitable.
Deputy Fire Chief Cody Draheim said it appeared the space heater was too close to some clothing, and that the heater also had a frayed cord.
The Utah Red Cross reported it was meeting with family displaced by the fire to determine what type of assistance they may need.
Twitter: @remims American Red Cross urges caution Heating Home •
The American Red Cross responds to nearly 70,000 disasters a year — one every eight minutes — and most are home fires. As temperatures dip in January (coldest month of the year in Utah) the Red Cross urges families to be cautious when using space heaters and other heating sources, and to make a plan in case of a home fire. Heating sources are the second leading cause of home fire deaths, and fatal home fires increase during the winter months.
Heat sources such as space heaters, fireplaces or wood and coal stoves can pose a fire hazard, and fatal fires peak in the early morning hours when most people are sleeping. To reduce the risk of heating related fires, the Red Cross recommends the following tips:
· All heaters need space. Keep children, pets and things that can burn (paper, matches, bedding, furniture, clothing, carpets, and rugs) at least three feet away from heating equipment.
· Never leave a fire in the fireplace unattended, and use a glass or metal fire screen to keep fire and embers in the fireplace.
· Never use a cooking range or oven to heat your home.
· Turn off portable space heaters every time you leave the room or go to sleep.
· Have wood and coal stoves, fireplaces, and chimneys inspected annually by a professional, and cleaned if necessary.
· If you must use a space heater, place it on a level, hard and nonflammable surface (such as ceramic tile floor), not on rugs, or carpets or near bedding or drapes. Plug power cords directly into outlets and never into an extension cord.
Download the Red Cross First Aid App at redcross.org/apps to get access to life-saving information on what to do for common, everyday first aid emergencies including burns.