Chief Willibey on Wood Stove Safety

The tragic fire on Christmas morning in Stamford, Connecticut that claimed the lives of three children and their grandparents was traced back to a bag of ashes that was left near the back door of their family home. Although many of us who live in rural areas are used to thinking of the removal of ashes as a normal cold weather chore, it is important to remember how dangerous ashes can be. In an interview for the Buffalo News in early January, Chief Willibey said, "Embers can stay hot inside the ashes for up to four days -- hot enough to start a fire, because the ashes act as an insulator. My suggestion is that you put ashes and embers into a steel container, put some water on them, and close the container with a tight-fitting lid. A fire needs three things to burn -- fuel, oxygen and heat. The tight-fitting lid removes the oxygen, and the water reduces the heat." He added that the container should not be used for household waste other than ashes and that the few minutes that it takes to move the ashes away from the side of the house can save a lot of hardship.