Space heater starts Barstow house fire
BARSTOW • Two brothers and a friend were displaced from their home after a fire Sunday evening.
The Barstow Fire Department responded to a fire on the 1400 block of Nancy Street at 9:55 p.m. and were able to put it out shortly, according to Division Chief Sal Corrao. Corrao said the residents told firefighters that a malfunctioning space heater caught a bedroom on fire, and there will be no investigation into the cause of the fire. Corrao said it is possible that the heater was placed to close to a bed or other flammable material.
Corrao said the fire was contained to a single bedroom of the three bedroom house. He estimated the damage to the house at $10,000. There were no reported injuries from the fire.
Neighbor Danielle Dudney said she saw approximately 10 people flee from the house around 10 p.m. and the fire department arrived within 15 minutes of the fire.
“It had the smell of like an electrical fire,” Dudney said. “I didn’t see any flames, but a lot of people ran out of the house. There was thick white smoke coming out of the house.”
Corrao contacted the High Desert Chapter of the American Red Cross Monday morning to get help for the three residents. Melba White, the emergency services manager for the High Desert Chapter of the American Red Cross, said a team from the Red Cross planned to meet with the brothers and the friend Monday afternoon to see what they needed.
White said the level of assistance depends on the amount of need the fire victims have, but can include things like clothes, food and a place to stay.
Contact the writer:
(760) 256-4126 or dheldreth@desertdispatch.com
Space heater safety tips
• Check manufacturer’s instructions to see how far the heater should be placed from carpet, beds and other combustible materials.
• Do not leave the heater operating unattended or operating while sleeping.
• Do not use an electric heater as a dryer by placing clothing over it.
• Keep the heater in safe working condition Replace missing guards and controls at once. Never operate a defective heater.
• Place the heater on a level surface for stability.
• Don't place the heater where children might play near it or where people might trip over or bump into it.
Source: United States Consumer Product Safety Commission
