WASHINGTON — Firefighters say an unattended candle on a back deck sparked a large house fire in Northeast D.C. Saturday.
DC Fire and EMS crews were called to the 5200 block of Blaine Street Northeast for a report of a house fire around 12:30 a.m. When crews got to the scene, they found the house engulfed in flames and quickly called a second alarm to get more firefighters to the scene.
About 100 firefighters worked quickly to get the blaze under control and keep it from spreading to homes on either side. One person was taken to the hospital with critical injuries. Firefighters have not given an update on that person's condition Sunday. A pet dog was killed in the blaze.
This is the second fire caused by an unattended candle in D.C. this week. An apartment fire in Northeast D.C. left 23 people displaced on Wednesday.
The U.S. Fire Administration offers the following tips to be candle safe:
- Consider using battery-operated flameless candles, which can look, smell and feel like real candles.
- If you do use lit candles, make sure they are in stable holders and place them where they cannot be knocked down easily.
- Keep candles at least 12 inches away from anything that burns.
- Blow out candles when you leave a room or home, or when you go to bed.
- Don't use lit candles in bedrooms, bathrooms and sleeping areas.
- Use flashlights, not candles, if you have a power outage.
According to the National Fire Protection Association, on average, 20 home candle fires are reported each day.