A fire that started outside a home on South Highway 47 burned its way inside and damaged the roof over several rooms Wednesday, Nov. 22.

A volunteer firefighter driving by reported the fire and alerted the family inside, Fire Chief Mike Owenby said. Everyone was evacuated safely.

The fire was at the 26000 block of Highway 47 just south of Warrenton. It started around 3:30 p.m. and was under control within 30 minutes.

Owenby said the fire was possibly caused by discarded smoking material. It climbed the outside of the house and entered inside between the wall and the roof.

There was major damage to the roof over a closet and bathroom in the home, Owenby said. Bystanders outside could see jets of water shooting into the air from inside the house as firefighters inside worked to stop the fire in the roof from spreading.

There also was significant damage to the exterior of the house on the south side where the fire started.

Winter fires

Owenby said the number of recent fires has increased compared to earlier this year, which he said isn’t unusual when it gets cold.

“It’s that time of year,” Owenby said. “We generally see an increase in structure fires. Some of it is due to furnace and HVAC systems.”

Home heating systems can cause fires if they haven’t been cleaned or checked after being unused for several months, Owenby explained. That also includes portable heaters.

It’s especially important that furnace filters are clear of any dust or dirt that collected while they weren’t being used. The dust can burn if it gets too hot.

Filters should be changed if necessary. That can be done by a home owner or qualified technician. Owenby recommended that filters be changed at least every three months.

“I change mine every month. I go through a lot more filters than most people, but I make sure the (furnace) is clean,” he said.

Wright City Fire Chief Ron MacKnight said chimney fires also are a major concern. He advises anyone who uses their fireplace to get it checked and professionally cleaned at least once a year.

“Creosote builds up on the inside of the flue (the chimney pipe), and if you don’t get that cleaned, the creosote is combustible,” MacKnight explained.

Creosote is a flammable tar that comes from the particles in wood smoke. The tar can build up inside a chimney and eventually catch fire.

“Fires can travel outside of the flue pretty easily,” MacKnight said. “Over the years, a number of structure fires have started in the flue and spread to the surrounding structure.”

MacKnight added that the number of electrical fires tend to increase in the winter, as well. He said people sometimes overload their electrical outlets with too many items. Space heaters can be especially troublesome.

Christmas trees and candles can be additional fire hazards if they aren’t properly managed, he noted.

This is also the time of year to get gas-powered appliances checked to make sure they are working properly, MacKnight said. Otherwise, they could emit dangerous carbon monoxide gas, which is why homeowners should have working carbon monoxide detectors along with smoke detectors.

“There’s so many things people can do for winter safety and precautions,” MacKnight said.

If anyone has questions about fire safety in their home, MacKnight said the fire department is happy to take their call, or do a quick walkthrough of their home to look for any immediate concerns.

A Warrenton firefighter sprays the roof inside a home on Highway 47 just south of Warrenton. The home caught fire from the outside, doing major damage to parts of the roof and exterior, Wednesday, Nov. 22. Record photo/Adam Rollins.