Interim Fire Chief, Larry Steeby, explained that accidental fires are fires that are not started for malicious or monetary purposes. In fact, despite the definition of accidental, some of these types of fires are avoidable.

The Parsons Fire Department has seen an increase in electrical fires, even though they are common this time of year. Steeby said the use of supplemental heating devices in homes can be very taxing on the wiring no matter what the age of the home. Unfortunately, many of the older homes in Parsons and surrounding areas do not have adequate wiring to support the additional electrical requirements of heating devices.

Many of these houses were originally wired some 40 to 50 years ago. During that era, electricity was considered somewhat of a luxury. Today, it's not uncommon to have televisions in every room, computers, video games, etc.

Steeby added that some homes even present clues that could prevent future fires. He encourages individuals to take a minute and to understand what the house is trying to tell you.

For example, circuit breakers trip and in many older homes, fuses blow from overloading. Continual problems with these items indicate the problem has not been resolved. Don't ignore this warning sign. There are other reasons for fires, but in the wintertime, electrical fires are more common.

So the next time you plug in an electrical device, stop and ask yourself, what other items are already using electricity on that particular circuit. Steeby concluded by saying that it is better to spread that electrical load over as many circuits as possible to keep from overloading an individual circuit.

If you have questions, please call the Parsons Fire Department at (620) 421-7050.  

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