Wednesday, May 11, 2011

Cigarettes To Blame

Firefighters doused another blaze started by cheap cigarettes Monday night, and investigators said it's the sixth incident in the past three months.

Tualatin Valley Fire & Rescue crews responded to the 12000 block of SW North Dakota street in Tigard just before 8 p.m. after reports of balcony fire at the apartment complex. When crews arrived they found a passerby had knocked down the flames, but firefighters worked to ensure that the fire was completely out.

TVF&R investigators determined the fire was caused by a lit cigarette tossed into a plastic trash container that was being used as an ashtray. Residents told investigators they regularly threw cheap smokes and combustible trash into the container.

The fire caused $10,000 in damages to the apartment.

"Never use anything that can burn or melt as an ashtray," said Brian Barker, a TVF&R spokesman. "That means that you should not use plastic trash containers, plastic coffee cans, or planters filled with potting soil. Potting soil or bark chips can easily catch fire."

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