Man, dog escape fire likely sparked by space heater cord
INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) – A man and his dog are OK after escaping a fire on the near north side of Indianapolis Wednesday night.
It happened at a home in the 500 block of West 28th Street around 7:15 p.m. The man told firefighters an electrical cord from a space heater was run under a chair and caught fire. After unsucessfully trying to put out the fire, the man and his dog escaped.
It took firefighters about 15 minutes to get the fire under control. One firefighter was slightly hurt and transported to IU Health Methodist Hospital.
The fire has been ruled accidental. Firefighters have provided the following tips to residents:
- Electrical and extension cords should never be placed under rugs or furniture
- Make sure you inspect cords for wear and tear
- Do not fix them…Replace them
- Only use UL approved cords and follow manufacturer’s instructions when plugging appliances into them
- Use the proper size extension cord for the product and do not overload them
- Keep a 3 foot perimeter around a space heater when in use
- Never leave a space heater on unattended and turn the space heater off before you go to sleep