Tacoma, Washington – Fire on South Thompson Avenue Displaces Family of Four

Tacoma, Washington (November 28, 2019) – A fire broke out in a home on the 7000 block of South Thompson Avenue on Thursday afternoon. There were no injuries reported in the incident, but the four residents were displaced by the fire. Crews from the Tacoma Fire Department responded to the incident and were able to knock down the fire within ten minutes of their arrival.

Crews were dispatched to the residence around 2 p.m. By the time firefighters arrived smoke and fire was coming from the garage of the home and extending into the attic space. Crews stayed on the scene to put out hot spots that remained in the attic space of the home. The Red Cross is reported to be assisting the displaced family with their needs.

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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