Space Heater Blamed For House Fire In South Austin

SOUTH AUSTIN, TX — A space heater placed too close to combustible objects ignited a fire at a house in the southeast part of the city late Monday morning.

Fire Department officials responded to the 2600 block of Ware Road at around 11:30 a.m. The single-family home was heavily damaged as a result of the fire, particularly the front bedroom, officials told the Austin American-Statesman.

No injuries were reported as a result of the blaze, but the three residents were displaced.

The fire came as Austin saw its first freeze of the season over the weekend, with temperatures dropping to the low 20s on Sunday, reaching barely above the freezing point by midday.

In such times of cold weather — particularly in places unaccustomed to prolonged freezing temperatures such as Central Texas — many people turn to space heaters for home use.. While convenient, portable electric space heaters result in half of all home heating fires occur during the three-month period from December to February, according to the National Fire Protection Association.

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