THE region’s Metropolitan Fire Service commander has issued a renewed warning over the use of combustion wood heaters after fire ripped through a residential shed in Mount Gambier.
With winter temperatures plummeting and the use of wood heaters spiking, MFS commander Mark Searcy warned people not to leave slow combustion heaters unattended.
It is understood Tuesday night’s White Avenue blaze was ignited when a log rolled out of a slow combustion cast iron wood heater after its door latch was accidentally left open.
Alarming new figures show there have been 113 house fires across the state linked to home heating mishaps over the past three years.
Walking through his charred and twisted “man cave” yesterday, a stunned White Avenue resident Ken Quinlan joined calls for people to be vigilant with wood heaters.
The fire – which triggered plumes of smoke to billow over the area and warnings by authorities for nearby residents to close windows – was tackled by 16 firefighters from the MFS and Country Fire Service.
“We were lucky the shed was detached from the house, otherwise the house would have been gone too,” Mr Quinlan told The Border Watch yesterday.
“My wife normally lights a fire for me for when I come home from work and she had been in the shed putting some more wood in the heater.”
Luckily, he said family members noticed smoke from the shed and were able to push his 1968 HK Holden out of the building before it was damaged.
“They pushed the car out and shut the door because the heat was so intense – the car was red hot at the back,” Mr Quinlan said.
“When I raced home from the mill up the road, I heard popping and banging inside the shed – there were flames coming out of the top.”
Explaining he had lost thousands of dollars of tools, a television and keepsake items such as photographs, Mr Quinlan said luckily he had insurance and most items could be replaced.
Stunned about how swiftly the blaze took hold of his shed, he said similar accidents could lead to a tragedy in a home.
“While I regularly cleaned and maintained the heater because it was my shed, this accident shows what can happen,” he said.
“It would be worse in a house if there was carpet.
“Nobody was hurt – that was the main thing.”
Mr Quinlan praised the quick response and professionalism of police and fire crews who attended the scene.
Meanwhile, Mr Searcy – who inspected the fire scene yesterday morning – said it appeared the log that rolled out came in contact with a couch, which was in close proximity to the heater.
He said three MFS appliances and a CFS truck from Moorak attended the shed blaze at about 6pm.
“The big message is that people should leave items well clear of heaters and we recommend that someone should always be in attendance when heaters are in use,” Mr Searcy said.
He warned combustibles such as lounge suites and clothes drying racks should be placed well away from heaters.
“In this case, the door did not appear to be latched properly and a log rolled in the fire, knocked the door open and rolled out and caught onto the lounge that was too close,” the fire service chief said.
“Heaters should be installed by experts and be regularly serviced every year, including making sure the flue is clear and the seals around the door are all intact.”
The MFS recommends ensuring furniture, bedding, clothing, washing and other combustibles are at least two metres from heaters.
Another key risk involves a lack of maintenance.
Over time, chimneys and flues can disintegrate or become clogged.
Gas and electric heaters can develop faults or become damaged.
Residents are urged to always enlist a qualified tradesperson to clean, inspect, repair and maintain heaters.
