The Red Cross is working with the five displaced residents.
COLUMBIA, Maryland — Fire crews in Howard County braved cold and snowy conditions Sunday morning to fight a townhouse fire in Columbia. The cause of the fire is still under investigation.
According to Howard County Emergency Services, crews were called to the 9800 block of Rainleaf Court for a report of a fire around 4 a.m. Crews worked quickly to extinguish the blaze. Five people were taken from the home and evaluated by medical personnel, but declined to be taken to the hospital.
The Red Cross is working to help the five displaced residents.
While the cause of this fire is still being determined, officials warn that the winter months are an especially dangerous time for home and apartment fires.
According to the U.S. Fire Administration, home fires occur more in the winter months than any other season. Half of all home heating fires occur in December, January and February, and one in every seven home fires involve heating equipment.
Here are some tips to stay fire smart during the winter:
- Keep anything that can burn at least three feet from any heat source like fireplaces, wood stoves, radiators or space heaters.
- Keep portable generators outside, away from windows, and as far away from your home as possible.
- Install and test carbon monoxide alarms at least once a month.
- Plug only one heat-producing appliance (like a space heater) into an electrical outlet at a time.
- Have a qualified professional clean and inspect your chimney and vents every year.
- Store cooled ashes in a tightly covered metal container, and keep it outside at least 10 feet from your home and any nearby buildings.