Two structures destroyed in heat lamp fires

An Olney family lost their home and a 100-year-old barn burned down when heat lamps that were being used as sources of warmth for animals during recent sub-freezing temperatures set fire to bedding, Olney Police Chief Dan Birbeck said.

Firefighters were called to a home in the 1000 block of West Hamilton Street at 4:25 a.m. on Sunday, Jan. 14 and found the structure fully engulfed, the Olney Volunteer Fire Department said in a statement. Relatives of the homeowner, Patsy Kimbro, had placed a heat lamp on the front porch to warm outdoor cats, Chief Birbeck said. The lamp set the bedding alight and the fire spread to the house and a vehicle parked nearby, rendering both a total loss, the OVFD said. Two occupants and all animals escaped with minor injuries, he said.

OVFD, Loving Volunteer Fire Department, Olney Emergency Services and Olney Police Department responded to the blaze in single-digit temperatures. The Red Cross also pitched in, providing shelter, essentials and clothing, police said.

Earlier in the week, a heating lamp that an Olney farmer was using to keep his pigs warm in a barn off Hausler Road set fire to bedding and sent the structure up in flames, Chief Birbeck said.

The farmer managed to rescue the animals but the barn was a total loss, he said.

“When using heat lamps and bedding as a warming source for animals, ensure they are firmly secured,” Chief Birbeck said. “Leave adequate space between the two to prevent a fire.”