Space heaters cause 2 house fires: Both were total losses, but there were no human injuries

Published 4:45 am Wednesday, January 11, 2017

Space heaters led to two devastating house fires recently.

Chief Richard Breedlove of Washington Parish Fire District No. 7 said that a fire Saturday night and another fire Monday night were both caused by heaters that got tipped over.

Breedlove said the first fire occurred at about 9 p.m. at a home off Louisiana Highway 21 South, just past Double D Sausage.

“They had a few dogs that didn’t make it in the house, but the people got out safe,” he said.

Breedlove said the house was a total loss.

On Monday, at 8:15 p.m., the fire station got a call about another house fire on Thomas Road. Breedlove said firefighters battled the blaze until 2 a.m., and by that time, that house was also a total loss.

However, there were no injuries.

“Be careful with those space heaters,” Breedlove said. “Be careful with them and try to get those new ones that will turn off when they tip over. And be careful with anything around them.”