The Long Hill Fire Department is one of three 100% VOLUNTEER fire departments within the town of Trumbull, Connecticut. Trumbull is located on the eastern portion of Fairfield County approximately 60 miles from New York City. The LHFD proudly provides fire protection and rescue services to the residents of the Long Hill Fire District out of three fire stations. Our equipment consists of (4) engines, (1) reserve engine, (1) heavy rescue, (1) 102 ft rear mount ladder tower quint, (1) satellite unit (hose wagon), (1) utility pickup, and (4) chiefs cars. The LHFD responds to approximately 700 emergency and fire related calls annually.
 

 

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REMINDER: DISPOSE OF HOT ASHES PROPERLY

Written by Donald Eng of the Trumbull Times
Thursday, 26 January 2012 10:21
 

Fire officials are at a loss to explain two weekend fires that both started because of improper disposal of hot ashes. Disposing of ashes safely has been a national news topic since the Christmas fire in Stamford that killed three young girls and their grandparents.

Trumbull narrowly averted a similar tragedy early Sunday morning as a fire burned the front of an Elmwood Avenue home where a family of six was asleep. Long Hill Fire Department Deputy Chief Alex Rauso said the cause of the fire was hot ashes placed under the garage overhang in a plastic container.

"The resident put the hot embers against the garage Friday night," Rauso said. "The hot embers melted through the plastic and set fire to the exterior of the house early Sunday morning."

The fire climbed up the outside of the home, directly toward two occupied bedrooms, Rauso said.

"Luckily, one of the children woke up and smelled smoke," he said.

The family was especially lucky to escape injury since there were no smoke detectors in the house, Rauso said. Damage was limited to the exterior, and the family was able to remain in the house, he said.

The second fire, on Pert Street, broke out about 3:30 p.m. Sunday after a resident placed hot fireplace embers in a cardboard box inside his enclosed porch, according to Trumbull Center Chief Ed Gratrix. The house suffered only smoke damage, but the resident burned his hands when he carried the burning box outside.

"In this case, it looks like the resident had a metal container for the ashes, but when the container was filled, he put the rest of the embers into the box, and put the box on his porch," Gratrix said.

Fire Marshal Meg Murphy said the incidents show an increased need for public education.

"We usually get about one fire a year from people disposing of hot ashes," she said. "This year, I had hoped people would be more vigilant after the Christmas Day tragedy."

Fireplace embers can remain hot enough to start a fire for several days, Murphy said.

"In the Elmwood fire, the ashes sat overnight in a snowstorm before setting the house on fire," she said.

The safest place for hot fireplace ash is inside the fireplace, Murphy said. After allowing the embers to cool, they should be scooped into a metal container with a lid, and placed outside away from the house for several days, and then dumped and thoroughly doused with water.

But residents must consider that embers take far longer to cool than they might imagine. Gratrix said ash serves as an insulator, and though the container might not feel hot enough to ignite a fire, embers in the middle of the ashes could be hot enough to reignite up to five days later.

Gratrix said the incidents convinced the fire officials of the need to educate the public about the dangers.

"If we got called to two incidents within 12 hours, you know there were at least 10 more where the homeowner took action himself, and probably 20 more where nothing bad happened, but had conditions been a little different, it could have," he said.

Disposal of fireplace ash has long been a source of residential fires, Gratrix said. But this year, they have received additional media coverage.

"A few years ago, we had a guy place hot ashes in a box on top of his firewood pile, which was near his house and next to a gas can," he said. "Another time a homeowner tossed hot embers off his deck, and the woodchip mulch underneath caught fire."

Also, this time of year many residents use wood-burning stoves to heat their homes. They also require precautions, including at least three feet of open space in all directions, Murphy said. Woodstoves have started two house fires this year, but both caused only minor damage because the residents were home at the time.

Finally, every home should have a working smoke detector on every level, she said.

"They're inexpensive and they save lives," Murphy said.