Hot tubs are being blamed for three unrelated structure fires that took place this October.
Cleveland, Ohio, firefighters pointed to a hot tub located on the first floor of a home as the source of a house fire that took place on October 6 in the city’s east side. The firefighters were dispatched to the home at 1:37 a.m. where a ruptured natural gas line helped to feed the flames. Propylene and acetylene tanks — which did not explode — were also discovered nearby.
The fire spread throughout the house and attic, where no working smoke detectors were found, causing an estimated $75,000 in damages but no injuries.
In St. Joseph, Michigan, investigators believe an electrical problem with a hot tub started a house fire on October 8. A woman was babysitting her grandchild at the home when the fire started at about 4 p.m. and was able to leave the house and call the fire department.
“We were called here about the house. The grass was caught on fire two feet away from the back of the house,” said Steve Neubecker, St. Joseph’s director of public safety. “We got on scene. The back of the house was fully engulfed, and it was coming out both sides of the house.”
According to Neubecker, the fire was put out in about 20 minutes, but the scene wasn’t cleared for another 4 hours as crews put out hot spots. Security footage from the home’s shed showed the fire started at the hot tub before flames moved to the house. No injuries were reported.
Meanwhile, in Morristown, Tennessee, fire crews noted the hot tub and fire pit at a home that burned to ground on October 19. Two dogs were missing, but everyone else got out of the home safely before the center of the house completely collapsed and the back walls caved in.
Patrol Lieutenant Statworth Collins said the fire started on the back porch where the hot tub and fire pit were located.
