A fire started by an electric space heater threatened to cause a major structure fire in the Mendenhall Valley on Sunday morning, said a Capital City Fire/Rescue social media post.
The fire, caused in a wanigan by combustibles too close to a space heater, caused approximately $20,000 in damage, according to the post.
“At 8:15 (a.m.) we got a call from a possible structure fire,” said CCFR assistant chief Sam Russell in a phone interview. “There were some people inside trying to put it out with a garden hose and they kept it kind of at bay.”
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CCFR personnel had the fire extinguished within 15 minutes, Russell said, but spent a further two hours or so making sure the fire hadn’t extended into less visible parts of the residence. No injuries were reported, Russell said.
“We did some pretty significant investigation to make sure it was fully out,” Russell said.
As fall and winter approach, Russell said, residents should be careful with space heaters.
“You want to make sure space heaters are for temporary use,” Russell said.
Space heaters should be turned off and unplugged when not in use, Russell said. Juneau residents should also be careful not to use extension cords with space heaters, or to use space heaters within three feet of combustible materials.
• Contact reporter Michael S. Lockett at 757-621-1197 or mlockett@juneauempire.com.
