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Officials issue warning after deadly campfire explosion
A man is dead, and seven other people are injured, including a child who was airlifted to the Twin Cities, after a flammable liquid was used to start a fire at a holiday gathering.
(FOX 9) - As winter approaches, local fire departments say they expect to see the frequency of dangerous fire calls to increase.
Background
On August 30, a 53-year-old Hibbing man was killed, and seven other people were injured in a campfire explosion in French Township. Authorities say it happened when a flammable liquid was used to start a fire.
Fire safety reminders
Now, public safety leaders are issuing a reminder about fire safety.
"Remember to always use clean, dry wood, and only burn wood. We don’t want to be burning garbage, plastics, other materials that give off noxious gases," state fire marshal Dan Krier told FOX 9 on Sunday. "Never use combustible liquids to start any kind of fire."
Instead, Krier recommends dryer lint as a safer alternative.
St. Paul Fire Marshal Jamie Smith also provided advice on where to start a fire.
"Make sure all fires are at least 25 feet from any structure, make sure they’re contained in a ring made of brick stone or metals," Smith said.
"It’s really important to have the garden hose or some sort of extinguisher bucket of water, so that when the fire is out of control from what you expected, [you can] quickly put it out," Krier finished.