Fire(y) Clutter Nightmares in the Golden State…

Nearly all home fires are preventable. But people have to be aware.

Sadly, most are not.

Let’s ask you: What do you think can be the potential causes of a home fire?

Grounding issue, inadequate wiring, gas leaks, faulty electronics, unattended cooking, careless smoking, lit candles left unsupervised… All check. All good.

But what about that junk in your house?  

Do you know house clutter can also potentially cause fire, or at the very least, make a fire worse by increasing the fire load?

Earlier this year, a fire broke out in a duplex in Rancho Penasquitos. Thankfully, there were no casualties reported; however, the fire did cause major damage to the building. The responding firefighters reported it was a “hoarder home” and the cluttered conditions of the house played a significant role in making the fire worse.  

In another incident, a two-alarm fire ripped through a Pacifica home in San Mateo County, engulfing the building in heavy smoke and flames. Fire crews immediately arrived at the place of incident, preventing the fire from spreading to nearby structures. Nobody was found inside the home. Except, excessive amount of goods and items that were stored inside it. The hoarding conditions were so bad that several bags of items were visible throughout the building’s backyard.

Unfortunately, not all hoarding-reinforced home fire incidents are casualty-free; they can sometimes also be deadly.  

On December 1, 2017, a Lakeside fire killed a homeowner living inside a hoarding house. Officials describe it an as “arduous fire”.  

Case in point: House clutter is deadly. It kills. It burns.

Fire experts identify hoarding and house clutter as serious fire hazards.

Clutter can be a nightmare.

Sometimes, a fire(y) one.

Does your home have excessive junk? What steps are you taking to avoid hoarding-related fire incidents at your home?

If you aren’t doing anything to handle your house clutter, be warned, you could be its next victim!