Improperly discarded cigarettes cause East Bremerton fire

Published 4:16 pm Friday, May 15, 2015

A bucket of burning butts set next to the wall of a home entrance led to a late-night/early-morning fire in East Bremerton May 14-15.

The occupants at a home at the 300 block of NE McWilliams Court said they had been smoking and placed the cigarette butts in a plastic bucket on the front porch next to a wall.

About 30 minutes later they heard a crackling sound and saw flames outside. Everyone evacuated and one person used a garden hose to extinguish the fire.

Central Kitsap Fire and Rescue firefighters arrived and saw light smoke coming from the front of the house, but the fire was out.

The fire burned the exterior wall and ceiling of the covered porch. Firefighters removed paneling and the entire area was wetted down. A thermal imaging camera was used to make sure the fire had not spread inside the walls or into the attic.

The Bremerton Fire Department also responded. The scene was cleared at 11:43 p.m.

An hour later, at 12:44 a.m., CKFR was called back to the house because smoke filled an upstairs bedroom and set off the fire alarm.

Firefighters examined the front porch and discovered insulation was smoldering in the ceiling area above the front door. The entire area was re-wet and checked again to make sure nothing else was hot.

The scene was cleared at 1:53 a.m.

CKFR advises residents to remember to discard cigarette butts and ashes safely:

• Use a sturdy ashtray or a can filled with sand to collect ashes.

• Never use a plastic container.

• The cigarette needs to be completely stubbed out.

• Soak cigarette butts and ashes in water before throwing them away.

• Never toss hot cigarette butts or ashes in the trash.