Avoid using heat lamps when possible.
That’s the advisory from Pierce County Volunteer Fire Department this week after firefighters responded Friday morning to the fourth fire sparked by a heat lamp this year.
Fortunately, the early morning fire on Boyette Road resulted in minimal damage and no injuries after a heat lamp set up to keep puppies on the porch warm fell over and caught a nearby wall on fire.
That was not the case, however, for a family on W. Horseshoe Road whose home was a total loss following a heat lamp fire several weeks ago.
The fire department is asking folks to avoid using heat lamps when possible, but offers the following tips for their use:
• Buy a good quality lamp, preferably one without clamps and with a cage enclosure around the bulb
• Make sure the lamp is rated well for the bulb you intend to use
• Set the lamp away from combustible materials
• Place the lamp near a working smoke detector
