Several weeks back, a few unattended candles sparked a fire that caused about $130,000 in damage and caused more than 40 people to be evacuated from an apartment building in Seattle, Washington.
The fire started at just before 4 a.m., according to the Seattle Fire Department. Firefighters responding to the scene had to use a ladder to rescue a woman who had already become trapped in her second floor unit. Once she was rescued, it took them another 30 minutes to knock down the fire.
The evacuated residents waited inside a city bus as the firefighters fought the blaze. By about 6 a.m., all but two of them were able to return to their homes. Those two residents, a man and a woman, were being helped by American Red Cross.
The fire caused about $100,000 in damage to the building and about $30,000 in damage to its contents. Fire investigators determined that the blaze was started by unattended candles.
A Seattle Fire Department spokesperson said that this fire should serve as a lesson about the danger of using candles indoors, especially at a time when many people might be using candles to save money on their electric and heating bills. In short, it is dangerous to leave candles burning when you leave the room, even for a minute or two. Candles can fall over easily, which means they could ignite carpet, furniture or curtains and quickly cause a much larger fire.
If you or someone you know suffers an injury such as third degree burns or smoke inhalation, you should call Kramer & Pollack LLP in Mineola, New York so that the personal injury attorneys in that firm can determine whether another party has legal liability for injuries suffered, and if the injured party has a strong legal case.