Preventable fires at three homes in Lawrence over the past week have Lawrence-Douglas County Fire Medical sounding alarms.
The causes of a Tuesday night fire in the 2000 block of Miller Drive and a Wednesday afternoon fire in the 3400 block of Tillerman Drive were determined to be improperly discarded ashes from portable outdoor fireplaces, according to a news release from LDCFM.
Another fire Tuesday night, in the 1300 block of West 21st Street, was caused by improper disposal of smoking materials, according to the release.
LDCFM shared these tips to prevent fires of that nature:
• Allow ashes or coals to cool in an area where you had the fire for several days.
• When it is time to dispose of the ashes, transfer them to a metal container and wet them down.
• Keep the metal container outside your home and away from any combustibles until the container is hauled away.
• DO NOT place any other combustibles in the metal container.
• DO NOT use a combustible container for ashes or other related materials.
Loss estimates had not yet been determined as of the Thursday afternoon news release.
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Molly Adams / Lawrence Times
