Mount Vernon, Washington – One Person Injured in House Fire

 Mount Vernon, Washington (December 24, 2019) – One person was injured following a fire that broke out in a residence on the 500 block of North 1st Street on Tuesday night. The patient was taken to the hospital to be treated for potential smoke inhalation. No other injuries were reported in the fire.

The fire was first reported near 9 p.m. by a person who spotted the smoke while in a car on the Interstate 5. Firefighters were then able to locate the fire in a two-story home on North 1st Street. One person was rescued from the second floor. Crews extinguished the fire and stayed on the scene to make sure the blaze did not continue to spread. The fire was reported to have started in the attic, but the cause has not yet been determined.

About Fire

The dangers of fire cannot be underestimated – the US Fire Administration has recorded 15 home fire fatalities this year 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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