Properly Dispose Hot Coals, Ashes to Prevent Fire: Fire Dept.

MIDDLETOWN, CT — Middletown Fire Department is urging residents to properly dispose of ashes during the winter months.

Middletown Fire Department Office of the Fire Marshal said as the weather gets colder the fire department responds to more fires related to the improper disposal of hot coals or ashes from fireplaces, wood stoves, pellet stoves and grills.

To prevent fires the Fire Marshals Office has several recommendations.

• If possible, allow ashes and coals to cool in the area where you had the fire for several days.
• When it is time to dispose of the ashes, transfer them to a metal container and wet them down.
• Keep the metal container outside your home and away from any combustibles. It is recommended the distance is at least 10 to 12 feet.
• Do not place any other combustibles in the metal container.
• Do not use a combustible container.

What cause the fires is that coals and ashes from fires can remain hot enough to start a fire for many days after the fire is out according to the Fire Marshals office.

The exact amount of time for complete extinguishment and cooling depends on many factors such as how hot the fire was, what is burning, how much unburied fuel remains and more.

To be safe, treat all ashes and coals as hot, even when you think they had time enough to cool.