KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (WATE) – Tennesseans know that the weather can change quickly. With the changing temperatures, you may not want to turn their HVAC system from hot to cold, then cold to hot.
The Knoxville Fire Department wants to make sure those choosing to use alternate heating sources are safe while doing so.
Firefighters responded to consecutive fires in East Knoxville on Monday.
“Had we not been close by it probably could have been a lot worse,” said Knoxville Fire Department Assistant Chief Mark Wilbanks.
A heated stove was left unattended and caught the kitchen on fire.
The second fire happened just a block away on Skyline Drive when a propane gas tank heater was knocked over and caught a carpet on fire.
A basement fire at a home on Plymouth Road has been damaged on Monday, March 13. (Courtesy of Knoxville Fire Department) 
A basement fire at a home on Plymouth Road has been damaged on Monday, March 13. (Courtesy of Knoxville Fire Department) 
A room at a home on Skyline Drive has been damaged on Monday, March 13. (Courtesy of Knoxville Fire Department) 
A room at a home on Skyline Drive has been damaged on Monday, March 13. (Courtesy of Knoxville Fire Department)
“If you don’t accidentally knock it over, just the carbon monoxide that comes off from the incomplete combustion can cause you to get carbon monoxide poisoning and can cause you to get very sick or even kill you,” Wilbanks warned.
Wilbanks said this is a good reminder to others not to use outside heating sources indoors.
He adds that indoor space heaters are a safer alternative but make sure it’s at least three feet away from anything that can catch on fire and never leave it unattended.
Lastly, make sure to check your smoke alarms regularly. It can save a life if a fire does happen in your home.
Luckily, no injuries were reported in those two fires.
Wilbanks said unattended cooking equipment is the leading cause of house fires in the United States.
