Heating System Blamed For House Fire In Northeast El Paso

EL PASO, TX. – The temperatureis dropping andthose who havehad the urge to turn the heat on intheir homes are not alone.

Colder temperatures mean more and moreresidents will be flipping the central heat on in the house or using space heaters or the fireplace to stay warm. The El Paso Fire Department says heating is the 2nd leading cause of all residential fires and obviously, theproblem increases during the winter months.

Tuesday afternoon, the fire department was called out to a house fire in the 9300 block ofRJ Wood in Northeast El Paso. No one was injured and the fire was put out, but only after itcaused about $50,000 dollars worth of damage.

Investigators say an improperly serviced heater was the cause of the fire. According to fire officials, over one-quarter of all home heating fires result from poor maintenance of heating equipment, specifically the failure to clean that equipment.

Because of that, one Northeast family of three does not have a home to live in. The fire department warns everyone to always make sure home heating equipment is properly inspected and maintained.

Check batteries in smoke detectors, have an escape route plan and practice with children in the event of an emergency and never leave space heaters unattended.

— Written for broadcast by Rachel Abell

— Formatted for the web by Miguel Martinez