A fire that damaged a home in Stearns County early Tuesday serves as a seasonal reminder of the danger posed by wood stoves and fireplaces.
Fire crews were dispatched to a house in rural Sauk Centre Township just after 1:30 a.m. after the homeowner awoke to smoke alarms going off and soon discovered her porch on fire. Early indications are that a wood stove is the cause of the fire, which caused significant damage. The homeowner, her dog and a cat escaped safely.
Fireplaces, wood stoves and chimney fires become increasingly common as fall and winter approaches. The 2017 fire report by the Minnesota State Fire Marshal's Office says 172 incidents were reported involving fireplaces and chimneys that year, which accounted for 69 percent of heating fires.
The Department of Public Safety (DPS) offers these suggestions for those who use a wood stove or fireplace to heat their home.