On April 27 around 7:50 p.m. Huntsville/Lake of Bays Fire Fighters from Station One in Huntsville responded to a report of a backyard deck on fire at a home on Crestview Dr. in Huntsville.
Upon arrival, fire fighters found a destroyed propane barbecue against the wall of the house on the deck in the backyard. The occupants of the house had extinguished the fire using two portable fire extinguishers. Since the barbecue was used against the wall of the house, the vinyl siding on the wall was damaged by the fire.
Grease had accumulated and caught fire while the barbecue was in use. Which led to tall flames and high heat. This melted its plastic stand and collapsed the barbecue. The fire was beginning to grow and spread to the deck and house but was safely extinguished before it could cause severe damage to the house. The damage is estimated to be under $5,000 and no injuries were reported.
The Fire Department reminds residents to thoroughly clean their barbecue before using it this summer in case there are any rodent nests or grease inside. Never use your barbecue against the wall of your home because a small grease fire can easily ignite the house siding. If a fire does occur in the barbecue, close the lid and turn off the gas if safe to do so. Never put water on a grease fire, water will spread the burning grease and increase the size of the flames. Propane fuel tanks are not allowed to be kept in a building or on a balcony because they pose a serious hazard to people and fire fighters if exposed to fire.