OR: $30K in Damages from Electrical Fire

Portland, OR: A 40-year old business is recovering after a fire dealt $30,000 worth of damage Monday afternoon. Lt Rich Chatman with Portland Fire says a faulty electrical system is to blame.

“Each year in the U.S. electrical problems cause 68,000 home fires and 500 deaths. Homes more than 40 years old are three times more likely to have an electrical fire than newer homes built in the last 20 years,” Chatman told KXL.

Lt. Chatman says it has to do with older homes and buildings using knob and tube wiring “There’s a lot more care taken into insulation with the wiring that prevents heat from being exposed to the wooden structures”.

The fire broke out around 5:00PM at Dale Brothers Barber Shop on Southeast 82nd Avenue. Chatman also says the fire burnt for 25 minutes before crews were able to put it out, by eventually cutting 25 holes in the roof to let smoke escape.

Story via kxl.com