LP Grill Starts Fire on Deck of Home
43.1409003, -89.3622367
Incident Details
Engine 10 was initially dispatched for a single engine response for an outside fire. While getting into the engine, the call was upgraded to a full structure fire response—adding Car 31, Medic 10, Ladder 8, Ladder 1, Engine 8, Engine 3—due to the fire impingement on the deck, which had also started to burn. En route there was not any noticeable smoke in the skyline.
On arrival Engine 10 assumed command of a one-story wood frame single-family residence, with a visual of three sides and saw light white smoke coming from the rear of the building. Engine 10 proceeded to perform a 360 of the house and went straight in without a hydrant.
After completing the 360, the fire was confirmed on the rear deck, and was out and controlled by the owner with his garden hose. There was no extension into the house, and only a few spindles on the deck were charred. All incoming units were returned and Engine 10 continued flowing water from the owner’s garden hose onto the grill and deck until it was cooled down enough to remove from the deck into the back yard away from the house.
The LP container had suffered significant damage to the plastic coupling holding the regulator and was leaking LP gas, even when the knob was turned off. The container was removed from the grill and placed in another area of the yard away from heat sources.
The owner stated that there had not been any prior problems with the grill, and prior to using it tonight he said that the LP tank was just refilled and placed in the grill yesterday. At no point had he heard a hissing sound coming from the LP tank when installed or operated, and the grill ignited without problem. What appeared to happen is that the grill was rusted out on the bottom of the collection pan and fire box, which allowed hot grease to drip down onto the LP tank, which most likely degraded the integrity of the plastic coupling. This in turn allowed gas to leak and accelerate the fire in the grill. The owner stated at one point that the flames where approximately 6-8 feet above the grill and behind it, until he extinguished the main part of the fire with the dry chemical extinguisher, and then cooled the grill with his hose. There was no structural damage to the decking itself, only 4 charred spindles.
Engine 10 finished interviewing the homeowner, contacted the on call fire investigator and gave a full report, and then returned to Station 10.