Granger, Washington – Elderly Man Rescued from House Fire

Granger, Washington (March 12, 2020) – An elderly man was rescued from a fire that broke out at his home on West First Avenue and Railroad Avenue on early Thursday morning. According to an article from KIMA News, responding officers from Granger Police found the man unable to walk, and they were able to get inside and pull him out. Responders reported that the man had lost consciousness after being inside for a while, but no lasting injuries were reported in the incident.

According to information from the Granger Police Department, responding officers arrived at the scene and found flames coming out of the house. Additional crews from Toppenish and Sunnyside were later dispatched to assist with firefighting efforts. The fire is under investigation, but it is believed that the blaze started near the chimney.

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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