Melted extension cords cause garage fire in Canonsburg
Canonsburg firefighters responded to Ridge Avenue Monday morning after extension cords melted and caught fire in a garage attic.
Canonsburg Fire Chief Tim Solobay said the call came in about 9:30 a.m. to 441 Ridge Ave. He said the garage building, which was formerly a printing business, had been on fire.
“Fortunately, it kind of smothered itself and put itself out,” Solobay said.
He said several small extension cords had been used to run fans in the attic. They became overloaded and melted.
“They probably had been running awhile,” he said. “With the long-term use, especially in the heat, they broke down.”
Solobay said when they arrived, there were still some “hot spots” in the attic. He said some of the items stored in the attic were damaged and the fire had burned through the floor of the attic. The building was insured and had about $30,000 of damage, Solobay estimated.
There were no smoke detectors in the garage, Solobay said, which could have prevented some of the damage. He also said “heavy duty” extension cords are generally safer.
“We prefer if you plug the unit into the outlet, but if you have to use an extension cord, we prefer it’s a heavy-duty type cord and not these dollar extension cords,” he said. “If it’s a power strip too, you need to make sure it’s a good one, especially if you’re using it to run air conditioners or other appliances.”
North Strabane and Peters Township fire departments also responded to the scene.