THE EVERETT ADVOCATE – FRIDAY, JUNE 4, 2021 Page 7 State Fire Marshal Everett Attorneys Donate to Everett Food Pantry provides summer fire safety tips State Fire Marshal Peter Ostroskey recently offered the following tips to help keep residents safe this summer. Grilling safety Between 2016 and 2020, Massachusetts fire departments responded to 427 fires involving grills, hibachis and barbecues. These fires caused 15 civilian injuries, six firefighter injuries and $4 million in property damage. In 2020 alone, there were 74 grill fires that injured one civilian, one firefighter and caused $454,250 in estimated damages. Ostroskey offered these safety tips for grilling safety: • Always grill outdoors. • Place grills 10 feet away from the house and deck railings; make sure grills are not under eaves or overhanging branches. • Do not use a gas or charcoal grill on any porch, balcony or fire escape. • Gas grills can be used on first floor decks or patios only if there is an outdoor stairway to the ground or it is at ground level. • Keep all matches, lighters and lighter fluid away from children. • Create a circle of safety: Keep children and pets three feet away from grills; children should never play near grills. On April 25, 2020, at 3:52 p.m., the Littleton Fire Department was called to a gas grill fire in a single-family home. The homeowner started the grill on the rear deck and a while later noticed flames coming out the bottom. She went over to shut the LP tank off and burned her hands. The fire coming out the back of the grill ignited the exterior wall of the home and caused $75,000 in damage. On May 30, 2020, the Lunenburg Fire Department responded to a gas grill fire in a two-family home at 5 p.m. The grill was on a patio and ignited the exterior wall of the home, causing $115,000 in damages. It spread to a nearby home, causing another $1,000 in estimated damage. Smoke alarms alerted the residents. On August 5, 2020, at 8:21 p.m., the Revere Fire Department responded to a gas grill fire in a two-family home. The grill was on a third-floor porch and ignited the wall, causing $110,000 in damage. Smoke alarms operated but the home did not have fire sprinklers. On September 13, 2020, the Plymouth Fire Department responded to a grill fire on the back deck of a single-family home. Working smoke alarms alerted the residents, and no one was injured at this fire. The home had no fire sprinklers and damage was estimated at $110,000. Charcoal grills Propane is the most common grilling fuel, but many people use charcoal grills. Here are some charcoal grill safety tips: • Only use charcoal starter fluid; do not use gasoline or kerosene to start a fire in a grill. • Never add lighter fluid to burning briquettes or hot coals; doing so may cause a flash fire and result in serious burn injuries. • Charcoal briquettes give off carbon monoxide, a colorless, odorless gas that can be deadly; always use charcoal grills outdoors in a well-ventilated area; never use charcoal grills indoors. • For proper disposal of grill ashes, allow the coals to burn out completely and then cool for 48 hours before disposal. • If you must dispose of ashes before they are completely cooled, thoroughly soak them in water before putting them in a metal container. Gasoline and lawnmowers “Is your teenager finally old enough to mow the lawn? Then be sure to discuss gasoline safety at the same time; talk about why it is important to let the engine cool before refueling,” said Ostroskey. Gasoline vapors are highly flammable and refueling a hot motor can ignite them. Gasoline spilled onto clothing can give off vapors until completely dry and be ignited by any heat source. Gasoline vapors can travel a long distance to find an ignition source, which is why gasoline cannot be stored inside the house. In the past five years, 338 lawn mower fires caused one civilian death, three civilian injuries, four fire service injuries and an estimated loss of $1.6 million. • Store gasoline outside only in approved containers. • Keep gasoline away from all heat sources, such as smoking materials, pilot lights, campfires and grills. FIRE MARSHAL | SEE PAGE 12 Local attorneys John Mackey and Katherine Brown presented a generous donation to the Everett Food Pantry recently to help feed Everett’s needy families. Pic - tured from left to right, are; Nicole Diamond, Atty. John McKay, Atty. Katherine Brown, Chelsi Diamond, McKenna Diamond, and Irene Cardillo presenting a donation at the food pantry. (Advocate photo)
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