January 15, 2009 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE (SH2009-03) FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION R. Steve Huffman Public Information Officer (251) 208-2857/Fax: (251) 208-2861 E-Mail: huffman@cityofmobile.org HEATING STRIPS CAUSE GARAGE FIRE Firefighters from Mobile Fire-Rescue Department responded to a garage fire that spread to the adjacent house located at 2511 Salvia Court Thursday morning, January 15. Fire Dispatchers received the call from a neighbor at approximately 8:07 a.m. and firefighters reported heavy fire and smoke upon arrival at approximately 8:12 a.m. The owner/occupant, Barbara Butler told Mobile Fire Investigators that she woke up when the fan in her bedroom stopped working. It was at this time she noticed the power was off in the house and went to investigate. As she approached the rear of the house she noticed heavy fire coming from the laundry room area of the unattached garage and escaped to a neighbor’s house. Owner/occupant, Paul Butler, who was at work at the time of the fire, told investigators that he had recently hooked up appliances (washer/dryer) in the laundry room and had placed heating strips to prevent the pipes from freezing. Investigators determined that the heating strips apparently made contact with some felt paper which was used to insulate the pipes and heated them enough to cause the fire. The fire spread from the garage to the rear of the house. There were no injuries and damage is estimated at approximately $50 thousand. Engines 9, 12, 23, truck 17, rescue 24 and District Chief Frank Byrd responded. The Mobile Fire-Rescue Department’s Fire Marshal Office investigated the incident. ###