House Fire in Crystal Falls

THE CONTINUING WARM WEATHER “MAY” TURN OUT TO BE A FACTOR IN A HOUSE FIRE IN IRON COUNTY OVERNIGHT.

THE INVESTIGATION IS CONTINUING, BUT FIRE OFFICIALS SAY THE HOUSE FIRE AT 229 TOWER ROAD IN CRYSTAL FALLS APPEARS TO HAVE BEEN ELECTRICAL.

THE HOME IS OWNED BY JOHN BENDICK.

HE WAS NOT AT HOME WHEN THE FIRE STARTED

AUTHORITIES BELIEVE THE BLAZE MAY HAVE STARTED AT THE HOME’S AIR CONDITIONER AROUND TEN, CENTRAL TIME, LAST NIGHT.

MORE THAN 20 FIREFIGHTERS FROM THE CRYSTAL FALLS FIRE DEPARTMENT WORKED TO EXTINGUISH THE BLAZE.

THOSE FIRE CREWS WORKED IN 80–PLUS DEGREE WEATHER FOR ABOUT THREE HOURS LAST NIGHT.

THE IRON COUNTY SHERIFFS DEPTARTMENT.AND NORTH STAR AMBULANCE ALSO ASSISTED AT THE SCENE.

KEEPING COOL IN THESE RECORD HIGH TEMPERATURES REQUIRES SOME ATTENTION TO SAFETY.

BE SURE THAT BOTH THE ELECTRICAL CIRCUIT AND THE ELECTRICAL OUTLET CAN HANDLE THE LOAD.

WHEN IN DOUBT, HAVE A LICENSED ELECTRICIAN INSPECT YOUR HOME’S WIRING AND ADVISE YOU AS TO WHETHER IT WILL SAFELY HANDLE AIR CONDITIONING UNITS.

MAKE SURE THE UNIT IS PROPERLY MOUNTED: THE UNIT SHOULD SLOPE TO THE OUTSIDE SO THE WATER DRAINS OUTSIDE.

ALWAYS PLUG AN AIR CONDITIONER INTO A GROUNDED, OR THREE–PRONG OUTLET.

IF AN APPLIANCE CORD PLUG DOESN’T FIT AN OUTLET, HAVE A QUALIFIED ELECTRICIAN REPLACE THE OUTLET.

IF YOU HAVE TO USE AN EXTENSION CORD TO REACH A GROUNDED OUTLET, USE A CORD DESIGNED FOR AIR CONDITIONERS AND THAT IT IS UL LISTED, MEETS OSHA SPECIFICATIONS, AND CAN HANDLE THE POWER NEEDED BY YOUR AIR CONDITIONER.