THE REVERE ADVOCATE – FRIDAY, JUNE 4, 2021 Page 15 State Fire Marshal provides summer fire safety tips S tate Fire Marshal Peter Ostroskey recently off ered the following tips to help keep residents safe this summer. Grilling safety Between 2016 and 2020, Massachusetts fi re departments responded to 427 fi res involving grills, hibachis and barbecues. These fi res caused 15 civilian injuries, six fi refi ghter injuries and $4 million in property damage. In 2020 alone, there were 74 grill fi res that injured one civilian, one fi refi ghter and caused $454,250 in estimated damages. Ostroskey off ered 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 fi re escape. • Gas grills can be used on fi rst fl oor 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 fl uid 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 fi re in a singlefamily home. The homeowner started the grill on the rear deck and a while later noticed fl ames coming out the bottom. She went over to shut the LP tank off and burned her hands. The fi re 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 fi re 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-fl oor porch and ignited the wall, causing $110,000 in damage. Smoke alarms operated but the home did not have fi re sprinklers. On September 13, 2020, the Plymouth Fire Department responded to a grill fi re on the back deck of a single-family home. Working smoke alarms alerted the residents, and no one was injured at this fi re. The home had no fi re 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 fl uid; do not use gasoline or kerosene to start a fi re in a grill. • Never add lighter fluid to burning briquettes or hot coals; doing so may cause a fl ash fi re 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 fi nally 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 fl ammable 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 fi nd an ignition source, which is why gasoline cannot be stored inside the house. In the past fi ve years, 338 lawn mower fi res caused one civilian death, three civilian injuries, four fi re 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, campfi res and grills. • Refuel a cooled lawn mower; never refi ll while it is hot. • Keep hands and feet away from a mower while it is running. On May 20, 2020, the Charlton Fire Department was called to a riding lawn mower fi re. The owner stated that he had just given it a tune-up and was mowing the lawn when he saw fl ames coming out from under the hood. On May 21, 2020, the Halifax Fire Department was dispatched to a garden tractor fi re in the yard of a single-family home. Gasoline in the engine ignited, consuming the tractor. Damage was estimated at $500. On May 30, 2020, at 7:35 p.m., the Leominster Fire Department responded to a lawn mower fi re in a back yard. The lawn mower backfi red as it was being shut down and caught fi re. On July 24, 2020, at 12:51 p.m., the Northbridge Fire Department responded to a garden tractor fi re in a backyard. The gas tank had recently been fi lled, and the fi re started shortly after starting. Gasoline and outdoor fi res “Never use gasoline to start a campfi re or add it to any indoor or outdoor fi re,” said Ostroskey. “We have had so many injuries this year from people mishandling gasoline and other fl ammable liquids.” In the past fi ve years, Massachusetts hospitals have reported treating 137 people with serious burn injuries from gasoline. On July 24, 2020, a 43-year old Lanesborough woman suff ered severe burns on more than 70 percent of her body when she poured gasoline on a campfi re. On July 19, 2020, a 39-year old Lawrence woman received burns SAFETY | SEE Page 16
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