Lights Ignite Tree, Destroy House

An electrical short involving the lights of a dried-out Christmas tree fueled a fire that destroyed a house in Orange late Tuesday, prompting officials to issue warnings about the dangers of old evergreens.

Because of the unusually warm conditions and dry winds this holiday season, officials said residents should promptly dispose of their Christmas trees to reduce the risk of fire.

“The drier the trees are, the faster they burn,” said Chris Boyd, captain of the Orange Fire Department. “It happens very quick.”

The fire started Tuesday evening when homeowner Marcus Milton was out.

As he returned, he saw fire trucks blocking his street, flames shooting from his rooftop and neighbors struggling to extinguish the flames with a garden hose.

Firefighters battled the blaze for 15 minutes and determined the home to be a complete loss. Damage estimates topped $250,000.

“I’m still in shock,” Milton, 32, said as he rummaged through the ruins at the white, double-door stucco home he has owned for five years. “All my appliances melted in the kitchen. All my clothes are burned. Everything is toast.”

Twinkling lights on Milton’s Christmas tree somehow short-circuited, sparking flames that quickly consumed the dry timber before spreading to the rest of the house, officials said.

Boyd said that all Christmas trees are already dry when purchased because they were cut as early as October. The longer the trees stay indoors, the greater the risk of fire, he said.

Increasing the hazard are trees placed close to heaters or fireplaces.

Fire officials encourage taking down Christmas trees as soon as possible, especially when the needles begin to fall off. The dry weather makes this advice all the more important, officials said. “This weather doesn’t help it one bit,” said Frank Eickhoff, battalion chief of the Orange Fire Department.

The American Red Cross provided Milton and his roommate with food, clothes and shelter. Milton returned to his home Wednesday to neighbors who brought him Christmas cookies and made him a pancake breakfast. He salvaged what he could: three shirts, two pair of pants and an untouched yellow and purple boat parked on his front yard. The only thing standing inside his house: the tree’s stump on a green stand. He said the six or so presents under the tree--including a platinum ring and French-cuffed shirts that his girlfriend bought for him--were charred.

The mirrored closet door was cracked and blackened. The cream carpet was soaked.

“I never thought a Christmas tree could do this,” said Milton. “I didn’t think it was as traumatic as it is.”

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Christmas Tree Safety

Fire officials suggest the following precautions for dry Christmas trees:

* Do not turn on the Christmas tree lights.

* Keep the tree away from the fireplace and open fires.

* Water the tree often.

* If you pinch the needles and it falls off, the tree is very dry and should be removed from the home immediately.

* Make sure the smoke detector is working.

* Remove the tree from the house and make sure tree is away from the house and fire hazards, such as an outdoor water heater closet.

Source: Orange Fire Department