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Space heater believed to cause fire that displaced 7

Posted at 2:17 PM, Jan 14, 2014
and last updated 2014-01-14 23:23:39-05

HENRICO COUNTY, Va. (WTVR) – It took Henrico firefighters about 30 minutes to bring an East End house fire under control. They responded to the fire along the 5200 block of Nine Mile Rd. about 1:29 Tuesday afternoon.

“First arriving units reported heavy smoke from a two story single family house,” Capt. Danny Rosenbaum wrote in an email. “Fire attack crews reported fire on the first floor of structure. No one was home at the time of the fire.”

There were no reports of any injuries.

Henrico County Division of Fire’s Fire Marshal’s Office has determined the cause of the fire to be electrical in nature.  Failure of an extension cord going to a space heater is believed to be the source.

The Red Cross is helping two adults and five children who lived in the home find a place to stay. The cause of the fire is under investigation.

Tips on using extension cords

  • Extension cords should never be used as permanent wiring.  Plug appliances directly into outlets.
  • Only use an extension cord that is properly sized and rated for the appliance.
  • Protect extension cords from damage – Do not run extension cords under carpets, through doorways, or under furniture.