Casper Fire-EMS Puts Out Deck Fire Caused By Faulty Grill

The Casper Fire-EMS Department extinguished a fire probably started by a propane grill at a house in southcentral Casper on Thursday afternoon, according to a news release.

The person reporting the call at 2:35 p.m. said the patio and the back of the house were on fire, and all occupants and pets were out of the house.

Firefighters found a fire on the back deck that was moving into the rear of the house, confirmed all occupants had exited, and knocked down the fire to prevent it from spreading.

The only injury happened when an occupant stubbed their toe while leaving the building.

Casper Fire-EMS continues to investigate the fire, but believe it was caused by a malfunction of a propane grill on the wooden deck.

The department recommends checking your grill for leaks when connecting a new bottle and before the first use of a grill each year:

• Mix one-third cup dish soap with two-thirds cup water in a spray bottle.
• Spray the solution on the propane hose and connections.
• Turn on the propane bottle. A leak will cause bubbles to form at the leak site.
• If there is no leak, happy grilling!
• If there is a leak turn off the propane bottle and have your grill serviced by a professional.
• If turning off the propane bottle does not stop the leak, immediately call 911.

Besides the test, Casper Fire-EMS urges people to properly use grills and know how to place them.

• Grills should be stored and used on the ground level floor of a building.
• All grills should be located well away from siding and deck railings and out from under the eaves of the building.
• Do not store any flammable materials around the grill.
• Do not allow children to play near the grill.
• Finally, as with all cooking, never leave a lit grill unattended.