PINELLAS COUNTY, Fla. — Tampa Bay area firefighters are sounding the alarm about the dangers of house fires. Half a dozen homes burned in our area in the last week.
These fires come at the same time fire crews and the Red Cross got together to send an important message about safety.
Monday, a home burned in Clearwater, and the flames spread to the home next door. Fire crews said; unfortunately, that's common with house fires in our area.
“There is a few things that cause the severity of the fire. If houses are compact, it can spread pretty quickly. A lot of our community, the houses are all built together pretty closely,” Mercedes Nelson-Palmer with Treasure Island Fire Rescue said.
A triplex in Dunedin also caught fire which damaged three units.
Nelson-Palmer said, "We are also doing escape plans that’s one of the biggest things is having an escape plan in case a fire does arise in your home."
You want to develop that escape plan and practice it with your kids. Fire crews say children often freeze up during an emergency, so it is crucial they know where to go and what to do if they see flames inside.
Another major tip from fire officials is to test out your smoke detector to make sure it is working.
Here is more information onhow to develop an escape plan.
