Burbank, Washington – One Woman Hospitalized Following House Fire

Burbank, Washington (March 17, 2020) – One woman was hospitalized for her injuries sustained in a fire that broke out in a house on the 300 block of Ringhoff Road on Tuesday morning. According to the article from My Columbia Basin.com, all residents of the affected house were outside of the home by the time firefighters had arrived. The grandmother, however, had sustained minor burns and possibly  smoke inhalation, and she was taken to a local hospital for treatment. No other injuries were mentioned in the report. The family is being assisted by the Burbank Community and the American Red Cross.

Firefighters from the Walla Walla County Fire District 5 responded to the scene around 10 a.m. The fire was reported to have been limited to a bedroom and the attic, but the house sustained heavy smoke damage in all areas due to the open doors. The house caught on fire again around 5:20 p.m., this time with the roof and the attic on fire. While crews attempted to extinguish the fire, the roof started to fall in, and firefighters were pulled out for their own safety. The cause of the fire was reported to be a child who had been playing with a lighter.

About Fire

The dangers of fire should never be underestimated – the US Fire Administration has reported that 41 home fire fatalities occurred in 2018 within Washington. Statistics from the NFPA have recorded that cooking equipment were the leading cause of home structure fires, home fire injuries, as well as being the second leading case of home fire deaths. Additionally, smoking materials are the leading case of home fire deaths, though it isn’t always the case every year. Always handle fire with wariness and see to it that fires are always extinguished after use. Remember also to assess the area where fire is going to be used and see to it that complete fire safety is practiced at all times.

Aside from cooking equipment and smoking materials, electrical causes remain to be one of the top causes for home fires according to the NFPA. Their Electrical Fire Reports to the U.S Fire Department since 2000 estimates around 45,000 to 55,000 cases of home fires being caused by electrical malfunction every year. Annual losses due to electrical fire result in 455 civilian deaths, 1, 500 civilian injuries and 1.5 billion of dollars in direct property damage. From these statistics, the risk from electrical fire is very real and should not be underestimated. As for the accidents themselves, the NFPA lists 63 percent involved wiring and related equipment, 74 percent cited some sort of electrical failure or malfunction, and wire or cable insulation was the first item ignited in 32 percent of electrical distribution or lighting equipment home structure fires. From these cases, one must always review and identify potential fire hazards and fix them to avoid damages, injuries or deaths.

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