October 24, 2011
By: Carrie Van Brunt-Wiley
A Washington resident may be filing a homeowners insurance claim after smoking was linked to a house fire which caused heavy damage over the weekend.
Fire investigators said that the accidental blaze in Snohomish, Washington, was caused by a pair of smokers who had been outside of the home. Firefighters from four districts came to battle the fire, KIRO-TV reports, but were initially hampered by downed power lines near the property.
The incident almost became deadly, but one resident ran into the burning home to pull out his father, who was asleep inside, before calling 911 from a neighbor's home. The father was treated for smoke inhalation but not hospitalized, The Herald reported.
Officials told the paper that the blaze caused roughly $150,000 in damage. The Red Cross was working to assist the family with its immediate needs.
Smoking remains one of the top causes of home fires. According to the U.S. Fire Administration, it is the leading source of house fires, and kills approximately 1,000 people each year.
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