Aiken and Richmond County officials were busy over the weekend battling house fires that killed four people.
Early Saturday morning, Augusta firefighters were called to the 4400 block of Etterlee Road outside Blythe, where a couple were found dead in the blaze; meanwhile, two more people were found early Sunday at a home on fire in the 100 Block of Taylor Pond Road in Graniteville.
Both incidents are under investigation.
Augusta/Richmond County Coroner Mark Bowen says that while he can’t comment or speculate on the specific causes of these latest fires, he says there is documentable evidence that deaths due to accidental, or preventable fire do peak during the holidays, when it is also the CSRS’s coldest time of the year, calendar-wise.
“We are blessed that we don’t have more fire fatalities each year, to me it shows that people are becoming more aware of the dangers and it just takes the right factors to be in place for a tragedy to occur,” Bowen said.
Christmas trees, wood-burning chimneys and electronic equipment charging points are the most common trouble-spots, or flash points, according to Bowen, who recommends that owners or tenants conduct a “walk through” after putting up Christmas decorations to look for any possible weak points.
“I always do that in my house, it’s important to check up on yourself and make sure that every power source has a secure hookup and is free from obstructions. Just one more glance can’t hurt,” Bowen said.
Of course, it is important to make sure that the family Christmas tree is well-watered, but also make sure that, if possible, the tree’s placement avoids direct sunlight as the UV rays cause the needles to dry out quicker.
If the family winter plan is to include using a fireplace for heat on frigid nights, then make sure that any open fire is maintained well-away from the tree. Just one spark from a controlled flame can turn that tinderbox-dry tree into an uncontrollable fireball in seconds.
Speaking of the fireplace, the Red Cross and others say that homeowners should have their chimneys professionally cleaned each year prior to new seasonal use. Regular cleaning will discourage birds and other wildlife from building nests; however, the biggest reason for having the chimney cleaned is that cleaning will remove creosote buildup inside the narrow space, which is basically tree sap that is released into the air during the burning process that cause sparks.
Some people like to add to their furnace’s output by using the kitchen oven for more heat and experts say this is extremely dangerous, as cast off debris inside the unit could ignite or the unit could become so hot that other flammable materials nearby can be ignited.
The ever handy space-heater is one of the biggest causes of residential house fires. Bowen, and officials with the American Red Cross, say that space-heaters should not be left running full blast and should be plugged directly into the wall socket with no use of extension cords.
If you must use a space heater, make sure that it is an electric version with a surge protector and never, under any circumstance, use openly flammable materials to heat the interior of a home.
According to the American Red Cross, chemical accelerants, such as kerosene, emit carbon monoxide gas, which is called the ‘silent’ killer for it’s undetectable nature; however, any gasoline type of chemical can create an inferno in a confined space.
1996 was the year that Augusta became the scene of a most tragic case of residential fire, death in recent memory, when renowned actress Thelma “Butterfly” McQueen, of “Gone With The Wind” fame, died when the kerosene lantern she carried in her home ignited her dress and the draperies on the window, engulfing the house around her.
Most homes of today are built using fire-retardant materials, and Bowen joins a chorus of other experts in urging caution with both celebratory decor and when using alternative methods for heat during a cold snap, especially with the use of space-heaters.
“I would make sure that the heater is placed on something non flammable like ceramic tile, and also move away piles of clothes or anything that could cause a disruption of the airflow,” Bowen said.
Many people, due to the alarm feature on most modern devices, sleep with their cell phones plugged in at the socket near the bed and allow the device to charge on the bed. According to Apple, if the battery area of the phone is under a pillow or such, the battery could explode and emit toxic chemicals, or, in the worst case, it could start a fire.
Scott Hudson is the Senior Investigative Reporter and Editorial Page Editor for The Augusta Press. Reach him at scott@theaugustapress.com
