The cause of Monday’s trailer house fire in eastern Emporia remains under investigation.
Emporia and Olpe fire crews were dispatched to 1402 Twilight Drive shortly before 1:45 pm and found moderate smoke coming from all sides of the house. Emporia Battalion Chief Tony Fuller says firefighters got in the home and found fire in the kitchen. The main fire was knocked down quickly and the gas and electric utilities were shut off while firefighters looked for any extension elsewhere in the house.
All people inside got out safely. There was a dog inside. Firefighters used what are called FIDO bags, or 911 kits organized by The Fetch Foundation, to give first aid to the dog before taking it to Emporia Veterinary Hospital for additional treatment.
The cause is still being investigated. Besides firefighters, Emporia Police, Evergy and Kansas Gas responded.
The fire comes at the start of Fire Prevention Week — and the theme this week happens to be “Cooking Safety Begins with You: Pay Attention to Fire Prevention.” On KVOE’s Morning Show recently, Emporia Fire Marshal Reason Bradford said cooking fires are the leading cause of home fires in the country, ahead of heating, electrical, smoking-related and candle-related fires. Grease-related fires are a major concern because of how they interact with water.
While smoke detectors are recommended throughout a house, Bradford says smoke detectors in kitchens often get disabled because of how sensitive they can be.
With daylight saving time beginning Nov. 5, firefighters have told residents to use that date as a reminder to change their detector batteries for years. That’s not as necessary now with the increasing use of lithium-ion batteries, which can last years — but they can also ignite or re-ignite without warning and they create intense fires when that happens.
With winter approaching, Bradford also advises residents to check furnaces and fireplaces soon to make sure they are safe and to install a carbon monoxide detector if that hasn’t already happened.
Residents can get more fire prevention tips on the Emporia Fire Department’s Facebook page.
3 pm Monday: Emporia Fire responds to structure fire in east Emporia Monday afternoon
Emporia Firefighters managed to quickly knock down a fire inside of an east Emporia residence Monday afternoon.
Emporia, Olpe and Americus Fire were all called to 1402 Twilight Drive for a structure fire just before 1:45 pm. According to Battalion Chief Tony Fuller, upon arriving smoke was coming out of all windows of the residence.
Crews made entry where they found and quickly extinguished a fire in the kitchen area. Crews did find and safely evacuate one dog from the residence which was later taken to a vet for observation.
No humans were injured as a result of the fire. The cause, origination point and damage estimates are currently pending.
Emporia Police, Evergy and Kansas Gas also responded to the scene. An investigation is ongoing through Emporia Fire.
