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Fourth Candle Extinguished

Fourth Candle Extinguished on Fire Safety Tree

 

A residential structure at the Cayo Grande Apartments in the 7700 block of Navarre Parkway represents the fourth candle extinguished on the “Keep Your Holidays Bright” fire safety tree. One adult male was transported to Baptist Hospital with injuries associated with burns. Santa Rosa County Emergency Communications was notified of the fire at 6:07 p.m. Monday, Dec. 21. Crews arrived on scene at 6:13 p.m. Units from Holley Navarre and Navarre Beach fire departments responded. The fire was believed to have been caused from cooking. There was minimal damage to the apartment but significant water damage was caused by the fire sprinkler system.

According to the U.S. Fire Administration, cooking is the leading cause of residential building fires in December, accounting for 41 percent of fires, followed by heating fires at 28 percent, open flame fires at nine percent, and incendiary/suspicious fires seven percent.

 

Additional kitchen fire statistics from the U.S. Fire Administration, based on 2006-2010 annual averages:

  • Unattended cooking was by far the leading contributing factor in home cooking fires.
  • Two-thirds (67 percent) of home cooking fires started with the ignition of food or other cooking materials.
  • Clothing was the item first ignited in less than one percent of these fires, but these incidents accounted for 16 percent of the cooking fire deaths.
  • Ranges accounted for the largest share (58 percent) of home cooking fire incidents. Ovens accounted for 16 percent.
  • Three of every five (57 percent) reported non-fatal home cooking fire injuries occurred when the victims tried to fight the fire themselves.
  • Frying poses the greatest risk of fire.

 

Santa Rosa County emergency service agencies are teaming up for the ninth year to promote fire safety during the month of December with the “Keep Your Holidays Bright” campaign. While a joyous time of year, cold weather, holiday decorations and festivities can create serious fire dangers. Firefighters hope to reduce the number of fires in Santa Rosa County by promoting simple, life-saving holiday safety tips throughout the month. In the first year nine candles were extinguished on the safety tree, three in the second year, six in the 2009 campaign, four in 2010, six in 2011,three in 2012, four in 2013 and five in 2014.