Holiday Warning Issued on Preventing Residential Fires

SYLMAR — In the wake of a rooftop blaze that badly damaged a Sylmar house, the Los Angeles Fire Department is reminding the public to take extra care to prevent residential fires during the holiday season.

“It’s the time of year where you have to be extra cautious. You have more lighting and more combustibles in your home this time of year,” said Jim Wells, spokesman for the city’s Fire Department.

The increased hazard was illustrated last Wednesday night when a Sylmar house caught fire because the fireplace chimney lacked a special safety device, Wells said.

It took about 40 firefighters 30 minutes to put out the blaze in the 14100 block of West Astoria Avenue. Three people inside escaped uninjured, but the fire caused about $230,000 in damage to the roof, attic and household contents, Wells added.

The blaze could have been prevented if the house had been equipped with a spark arrester--a mesh-wire, screen-like device placed over the top of the chimney that allows smoke to escape but helps keep burning embers in, Wells said.

Every home with a chimney should have the device, as well as a wire screen in front of the fireplace, to keep embers from jumping out, Wells said. Ashes from homes with wood-burning fireplaces should not be dumped into the garbage until they’re cold, and homeowners should enlist the services of a chimney sweep to keep their chimneys clean, he added.

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Other holiday fire-prevention tips include:

* Making sure live Christmas trees are fresh, kept in water and placed far away from heaters or fireplaces.

* Making sure electrical outlets aren’t overloaded with plugs and that cords are not frayed.

* Making sure candles are affixed securely to candleholders and placed away from combustibles.

* Not using electric lights with metal trees.

* Turning off all Christmas lights and blowing out all candles before going to sleep or leaving home.