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Jed Boal and Jon Dunn ReportingInvestigators say embers from a ceramic fireplace likely sparked a house fire today in Sandy. Firefighters see it as a warning to all of us.
As the weather starts to improve, we all want to start grilling. But if you're going to do it, do it safely.
The investigation into the house fire is not complete. But fire investigators think wind whipped up embers from a ceramic fireplace in the back yard.
Batt. Chief Don Rosenkrantz/Sandy Fire Department: "He did have it on last night, and we did have some pretty good winds come through here. Any time there's embers, you have to use so much caution."
Barbeques put out a lot of firepower these days. And firepits and ceramic chimnies are very popular.
Jesse Bills/Lowe's: "With anything like this, you want to make sure you check your embers. Put some water in it. It won't hurt anything to put water in it or take a fire extinguisher to make sure."
Before you ever light a grill or firepit, make sure it's away from the house and any landscaping that may burn.
Batt. Chief Don Rosenkrantz/Sandy Fire Department: "Any kind of open flame this time of year, just got to be really careful with it."
"Any time that you're going to be using equipment that produces heat, think about its surroundings. Think about what you're putting that heat right next to."
South Salt Lake Fire Chief Steve Foote says they get called out on way too many of these barbeque fires in the summer, mostly because people don't think.
"If you're going to have a device that's going to produce 300 to 500 degrees of heat, and you put it right up against a wood railing or something like that, it's going to catch fire."
Foote says it is just common sense or sometimes a lack of it. He says they have even caught people grilling indoors.
