(Friendship, IN) – Dispatchers sent the Friendship Volunteer Fire Department to a home on the 3800 block of Olean Road Thursday night around 10:30 on a report of smoke filling the house.
By the time firefighters arrived, the smoke had dissipated but they found it was caused by a blower motor that failed on the residential furnace.
Versailles Fire Rescue provided mutual aid.
There were no injuries or damage reported.
The Friendship Fire Department says the incident presents a great opportunity to remind you to check your heating system before cold weather sets in.
Here are 10 points for you to consider before firing up the furnace or wood burning stove this fall:
1. Schedule a furnace inspection. Have a qualified professional service your heating system before cold weather arrives.
2. Check your chimney. Have your chimney and stovepipe professionally inspected and cleaned to remove creosote and obstructions.
3. Give heating equipment room. Keep furniture, curtains, boxes, firewood, and other combustible materials at least 3 feet away. Follow any greater clearances required by the manufacturer.
4. Check the furnace filter. Clean or replace it according to the manufacturer’s instructions, and keep air registers and returns clear.
5. Inspect outside vents. Make sure furnace exhaust and air-intake openings are free of leaves, nests, and other debris.
6. Test your smoke and carbon monoxide alarms. Make sure everyone can hear them, and replace batteries or expired alarms as needed.
7. Burn the right fuel. Use dry, seasoned firewood in wood stoves. Never burn trash, treated lumber, or use gasoline or other flammable liquids to start a fire.
8. Keep children and pets back. Establish a 3-foot safety zone around your wood stove, and remember that surfaces remain hot after the fire dies down.
9. Handle ashes carefully. Place ashes in a metal container with a tight-fitting lid. Store it outside, at least 10 feet from buildings, away from anything that can burn—never in a cardboard box or plastic trash can.
10. Take warning signs seriously. If a carbon monoxide alarm sounds, get everyone outside immediately, call 911, and stay out until emergency responders say it is safe to return.
