Walker County Fire Rescue officials issued a reminder to the community to take cold weather precautions following nine fires over the past week.
The latest fire occurred around 11 a.m. Wednesday morning at a house on West 8th Street in Chickamauga.
Fire investigators say an accidental fire started in the attic of the 103-year old home. A 13-year old boy who was home at the time of the fire escaped unharmed. The house sustained heavy smoke and fire damage upstairs and water damage downstairs. The family does have insurance.
Firefighters also worked fires on Baker Drive near LaFayette Wednesday morning and Hamilton Drive near Chickamauga last night. Both fires involved a mobile home and did not result in any injuries.
While the fire marshal continues to investigate the cause of these recent incidents, fire officials note the correlation between an increase in fire calls and the recent influx of colder weather. Lt. Regina Dorsey, Fire Inspector & Educator with Walker County Fire Rescue, reminds residents to keep anything that can catch fire at least three feet away from heating equipment. According to the National Fire Protection Association, heating equipment is the second-leading cause of home fires in the country and third-leading cause of home fire deaths.
Lt. Dorsey said, “Extension cords should not be used as permanent wiring and check to make sure your smoke alarms are working.”
Any Walker County resident in need of free smoke alarms can contact Walker County Fire Rescue at 706 539-1255 to schedule an appointment for installation.