Fire breaks out at Spring Hill home, PCFR warns people of home-heating safety

Heat warning as cold temps linger in Tampa Bay

As cold temperatures continue across Florida, Pasco County Fire Rescue is reminding people to heat their homes safely after a fire broke out at a Spring Hill home on Tuesday morning. Ariel Plasencia reports.

SPRING HILL, Fla. - As cold temperatures continue across Florida, Pasco County Fire Rescue is reminding people to heat their homes safely after a fire broke out at a Spring Hill home on Tuesday morning.

The homeowner told investigators that he was tending to a fire in his wood-burning fireplace on Monday night and made sure it was out before bed.

Around 2 a.m. he woke up and saw a glow coming from the ceiling near the fireplace chimney's entrance to the roof. That's when he went outside and saw flames.

READ: Tampa Bay breaks 133-year-old record low temperature Tuesday morning

Crews arrived at 18332 Normandeau Street around 2:20 a.m. and they said heavy smoke was coming out of the residence.

What they're saying:

 "They saw that the pipe leading up through the roof was red-hot, and there were some embers around the roofline. And then they went outside, and they saw that roof was on fire from the pipe going up out of the house," Pasco County Fire Rescue deputy chief of operations Shawn Whited told FOX 13. "If the flue wasn't cleaned properly before they used it, we really don't know. But that seems to be where the cause of the fire was."

"They were doing it to keep warm. It got cold here quick over the last couple of days, and it's going to be cold again tonight. So obviously, we want to make sure everybody's safe with their fireplaces or their heating devices in their house," Whited added.

What they're saying:

PCFR says that people should get their fireplace and chimney professionally inspected and cleaned to avoid fires and carbon monoxide poisoning.

Advice for space heaters 

• Keep the heater at least three feet away from anything that can burn, including people.
• Plug the heater directly into the wall outlet. Never use an extension cord.
• Space heaters should be turned off and unplugged when you leave the room or go to bed.

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