Don’t Cook up a Fire in your Houston Home

Recent house fires in Houston should serve as a reminder to residents to ensure they have adequate homeowners insurance. Houston fire officers have attended several fires in March. In one incident, the home was set alight by discarded charcoal briquettes; and although nobody was injured, the damage was estimated at $31,000. 

Officials reported that the briquettes which sparked the fire were in a container. The container then ignited, causing the fire to spread to the exterior of the home. 

Since the incident, the fire department has urged Houston residents to put coals and hot ash into non-combustible containers. The container should be completely saturated with water before it is discarded. This is because ash and coals can stay smoldering for many hours after having been put out. 

In a second fire just days later, a fire broke out in an apartment after an occupant left a pot on the stove. While the fire was extinguished in time to restrict damage to the apartment kitchen, $16,000 was the estimated damage bill. 

The Houston Fire Department has reminded residents that cooking is the biggest cause of home fires. Follow the HFD safety tips to avoid cooking up a fire in your home – and make sure you have homeowners insurance Houston in case you ever do!

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