Laser engraver causes house fire in Blackfoot
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BLACKFOOT — A laser engraver was the cause of a house fire in Blackfoot Monday evening.
The Blackfoot Fire Department responded to the blaze at 5 p.m. on Hoff Drive.
Blackfoot Fire Chief Bryon Howell said the property owner was using a laser engraver and cutting wood products. She stepped away and smelled smoke, he said.
Howell told EastIdahoNews.com she came back and saw the equipment on fire, which progressed up the home’s walls and onto the ceiling of the room she was in.
She called 911, and firefighters found flames extending from a back basement door onto a deck. They extinguished the fire quickly.
The property owner was uninjured, and no other injuries were reported. The house does have some smoke damage throughout. Howell added that the fire was mainly contained in the room of origin and the backside of the house.
Howell said his department hasn’t had any experiences with a laser engraver causing a fire before but did issue a reminder.
“If you are running pieces of equipment like that, make sure you have a fire extinguisher in the area and make sure that your smoke detectors work and keep an eye on them. Don’t leave them running without somebody there,” he said.
