Irvine House Goes Up In Flames After Christmas Lights Overload Power Strips
IRVINE (CBSLA.com) — A devastating Irvine house fire could have been avoided if the home's Christmas lights were correctly plugged into outlets, firefighters said Wednesday.
Firefighters on Tuesday night responded to a blazing fire at a two-story home that started in a garage and extended into an upstairs bedroom.
When firefighters tamped the flames, they found that three extension cords powering the house's Christmas lights were plugged into one another. What's more, at least two of the power strips were designed for indoor use only.
The circuits were overloaded, causing the lines to short out, catch fire and ignite the house.
Firefighters said the fire could have been avoided if the residents had used a multi-outlet strip designed for outdoor use that goes right into the ground. Those strips can be found for as little as $15.
Instead, the house in Irvine was yellow-tagged and sustained as much as $110,000 in damage to its structure and contents, firefighters said.