Car Carrier Catches Fire on I-95

Milford Fire Department units were dispatched to a reported truck fire on I-95 Northbound in the area of Exit 40 early Monday morning.  Arriving units found a loaded car carrier with fire spreading from the cab area to the vehicles the truck was carrying. 

Hose lines were stretched to the I-95 standpipes on East Town Road to provide water to the units on 95 fighting the fire.  Two Lanes of I-95 along with the Exit 40 off ramp were closed while the fire was brought under control. 

Representatives from the fire marshal's office are investigating the cause of the fire.

Milford Fire Dept. Stresses Winter Fire Safety

The first weeks of 2010 have already seen a large number of fire fatalities caused by space heaters and other forms of home heating throughout the nation. The high cost of home heating fuels and utilities has caused many Americans to search for alternative home heating sources such as wood burning stoves, space heaters, and fireplaces. Heating is one of the leading causes of residential fires.

The leading factor contributing to home heating fires (28%) and deaths (46%) was heating equipment too close to things that can burn, such as upholstered furniture, clothing, mattress, or bedding.

Many heating fires can be prevented by following basic safety tips when dealing with any heating equipment:
• Keep or maintain a 3 foot clearance between all heating equipment and anything that can burn.
• Inspect and maintain heating equipment regularly for safety.
• Be sure to have fixed space heaters installed by a qualified technician, according to manufacturer’s instructions or applicable codes. Or, make sure a qualified technician checks to see the unit has been properly installed.
• When buying a new, portable space heater, make sure it has the label showing it is listed by a recognized testing laboratory, such as Underwriters Laboratories (UL).
• Space heaters should be turned off every time you leave the room and before going to bed.
• Keep space heaters at least 3 feet away from anything that can burn - including furniture, blankets, curtains, and paper products.
• Choose space heaters that turn off automatically if they tip over.
• Never use a space heater to dry clothing.
• Do not use your oven to heat your home.
• Install smoke alarms in every bedroom, outside each sleeping area, and on every level of the home.
• Test smoke alarms monthly.
• Install and maintain carbon monoxide alarms to avoid risk of carbon monoxide poisoning.

Wood Burning Stoves and Fireplaces

• Use a metal or glass fireplace screen to keep sparks from hitting nearby carpets or furniture.
• Be sure the fireplace or stove is installed properly. Wood stoves should have adequate clearance (3 feet) from combustible surfaces and proper floor support and protection.
• Have your chimney inspected annually and cleaned if necessary, especially if it has not been used for some time.
• Don’t use excessive amounts of paper to build fires in fireplaces. It is possible to ignite creosote in the chimney by overbuilding the fire.
• Keep flammable materials away from your fireplace mantel. A spark from the fireplace could easily ignite these materials.
• Before you go to sleep, be sure your fireplace fire is out. NEVER close your damper with hot ashes in the fireplace. A closed damper will help the fire to heat up again and will force toxic carbon monoxide into the house.
• If synthetic logs are used, follow the directions on the package. NEVER break a synthetic log apart to quicken the fire or use more than one log at a time. They often burn unevenly, releasing higher levels of carbon monoxide.
• Do not use flammable liquids to start or accelerate any fire.
• Never burn charcoal indoors. Burning charcoal can give off lethal amounts of carbon monoxide.
• Allow fireplace and wood stove ashes to cool before disposing in a metal container.

Carbon Monoxide Safety

Each year unintentional carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning claims hundreds of lives and sends several thousands of people to the emergency room for treatment.

At lower levels of exposure, CO causes mild effects that are often mistaken for the flu. These symptoms include headaches, dizziness, disorientation, nausea, and fatigue. The effects of CO exposure can vary greatly from person to person depending on age, overall health, and the concentration and length of exposure.

You can protect yourself and your family by following a few easy steps:

• Install at least one CO alarm with an audible warning signal near sleeping areas and outside individual bedrooms. CO alarms measure levels of the gas over time and are designed to sound an alarm before an average, healthy adult would experience symptoms.
• Have your heating system, water heater, and any other gas, oil or coal burning appliances serviced by a qualified technician every year.
• Never use your range or oven to help heat your home and never use a charcoal grill or hibachi in your home or garage.
• Never keep a car running in a garage. Even if the garage door is open, normal circulation will not provide enough fresh air to reliably prevent a dangerous buildup of CO.

Captain Chris Zak said in a prepared statement, "As the cold weather continues to affect us, the Milford Fire Department is concerned that mistakes and improper procedures could lead to disastrous circumstances."

The entire Milford Fire Department wants to wish everyone a Happy and Safe New Year.

For more information, please contact the Milford Fire Department at (203) 878-5991 or visit the US Fire Administration heating safety webpage at http://www.usfa.dhs.gov/citizens/all_citizens/home_fire_prev/heating/

Firefighters Quickly Knock Down Chimney Fire

On January 8, 2010 at 1336 hrs. the Milford Fire Department Emergency Operations dispatched Engines 3, 4, 7, Tower 1, Rescue 2 and Car 4 to 23 Raycroft Street for a reported chimney fire. When crews arrived they found active fire inside and outside of the house that had extended from a wood burning stove in the basement.

The fire was quickly knocked down and crews spent quite some time overhauling the structure for hidden fire. There were no injuries were reported.

Captain Chris Zak, the department's spokesman, stressed the need for all homeowners to use safety this winter season. "As the cold weather increases and the problems that are occurring with the economy, we are concerned that more homeowners will resort to using alternative methods to heat their house this winter. These types of situations can produce drastic results if proper precautions are not adhered to."

Zak went on to add that, "All homes should have working smoke detectors and carbon monoxide alarms and these should be tested on a weekly basis. Batteries for these devices should be changed twice a year, remember – change your clock, change your battery."