Barbecue Reignites Starting House Fire in Salem

Residents should always ensure that gas powered barbecues are in good working order and safe to operate.

Destroyed BBQ started deck fire that could have been much worse Photo courtesy: Chris Riffle/Salem Fire

(SALEM) - A malfunctioning gas powered barbecue caused the rear deck of a Salem house fire to ignite in flames Friday afternoon, even though the grill had been shut down for two hours.

Salem Fire Department Spokesperson Chris Riffle says crews responded to a call for flames coming from the back of the house at 3250 Bell St NE at 3:31 PM on Friday. The call brought the response of Engines, 1 Ladder Truck and a Battalion Chief.

Riffle says arriving firefighters discovered flames coming from a gas barbecue on the backyard deck and quickly extinguished the fire before it could extend into the home.

The homeowner, Lyubov Chekova, said she heard popping sounds and looked out into the backyard to see flames shooting out from her gas barbecue. The BBQ had been used approximately two hours earlier for lunch and had been turned off. The fire appeared to have started from the mal-functioning barbecue. Damage to the barbecue and the deck were reported to be approximately, $2,000. Three adults were in the home at the time, but fortunately, no one was injured due to the fire.