FDL Fire & Rescue Encouraging Safe Disposal of Cigarettes, Smoking Materials after Weekend Fire

A fire on the front porch of a home in Fond du Lac last
weekend has officials with Fond du Lac Fire and Rescue stressing the importance
of properly disposing of cigarettes and other smoking materials. Firefighters
were called to a home on east Johnson Street Saturday afternoon for the fire,
and while it didn’t result in any major damage – Division Chief Troy Haase says
there’s always a potential for things to be a lot worse. “It wasn’t a large
fire, but it’s one of those things – if it’s at night and that fire occurs, it
starts on the outside of the house and it doesn’t give you a lot of warning
because smoke detectors aren’t on the outside of the house, there on the inside
of the house,” Haase said. The National Fire Protection Association recommends
using a deep, sturdy ashtray to dispose of cigarettes, and to locate that
ashtray away from anything that can burn. In addition, the NFPA says to make
sure cigarette butts and ashes are completely put out before disposing of them
by dousing them in water or sand.

Find more smoking & home fire safety here.