A Middletown Township home was damaged in a Sunday evening fire. The fire marshal said the incident should serve as a reminder to others.
Firefighters were called to the 100 block of Mill Pond Place around 10:15 p.m. Sunday for the report of an extinguished trash can. They arrived to find damage in and around the garage with the fire out and a moderate amount of smoke in the area.
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Middletown Township Fire Marshal Jim McGuire said the blaze was started by fireplace debris dumped inside of a plastic trash can.
Langhorne-Middletown Fire Company Chief Frank Farry said a neighbor noticed the trash can was on fire and alerted one of the residents. A garden hose was used to put down the fire, but not before it caused damaged to the outside and inside of the residence.
Several family members sleeping inside the house were alerted and made it out without injuries, Farry said.
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Firefighters from the Langhorne-Middletown Fire Company and Newtown Fire Association responded. They checked to confirm there was no extension into the structure.
McGuire said there have been several other fires over the years from residents dumping fireplace, wood pellet stove, and fire pit debris in plastic trash cans near structures. He said while the debris might seem cool, it could be hot enough to start a fire for days after.
“It just take a tiny ember inside a piece of charcoal and it’s off to the races,” he said.
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The fire marshal urged residents to dump fire debris in metal trash cans that are at least 10 feet away from other objects, including fences.
Middletown Township firefighters recently handled a similar blaze in the Levittown section.
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