Issuing Officer: Joe Meinecke
Incident Location: 5043 N. Visscher St
Incident Type: Residential Structure Fire
Narrative: At 4:19 a.m. seven companies of Tacoma Firefighters responded to a reported residential structure fire.
First arriving crews found heavy smoke showing from the back of the approximately 1,800 square foot one story house with a basement. Crews attacked the fire with handlines, conducted a search of the house and ventilated the heavy smoke from building. The fire displaced two occupants and their were no injuries to report.
The probable cause of the fire was an electrical malfunction in a portable space heater, resulting in an estimated $35,000 dollars damage to the property and its contents.
As we continue with some "winter" like weather conditions over the next several days TFD reminds everyone of the following safety tips regarding portable space heaters.
- Select heaters with tip-over and overheat protection
- Give heaters their space – 3 feet from combustibles
- Plug heaters directly into outlets – not extension cords
- Turn off heaters when leaving them unattended
