Unattended patio grill fire decimates Aurora house Saturday

AURORA | A patio charcoal grill left briefly unattended is to blame for a house fire Saturday that consumed the deck, a tree and the entire front portion of a duplex in the Expo Park neighborhood. 

No injuries were reported from the fire, but the house is now uninhabitable and the family has been forced out.

Firefighters were called to the house at about 5:15 p.m. by residents, who later said they’d been grilling food outside on a deck and briefly went inside.

“The fence in front of the deck where the grill was sitting erupted into flames,” Aurora Fire and Rescue spokesperson Dawn Small said in a statement. “The fire quickly spread to a large tree next to the fence, the deck and to the residence.”

The occupant and two small children got out of the house without injury.

The American Red Cross has offered the family assistance. 

Small cautioned homeowners about the dangers of outside cooking grills places in precarious outdoor locations.

“Grills placed too close to anything that can burn is a fire hazard,” Small said.

National fire protection officials offer this advice:
• For propane grills, check the gas tank for leaks before use.

• Keep your grill clean by removing grease or fat buildup from the grills and in trays below the grill.

• Place the grill well away from the home, deck railings, and out from under eaves and overhanging branches.

• Always make sure your gas grill lid is open before lighting it.

• Keep children and pets at least three feet away from the grilling area.

• If you use starter fluid when charcoal grilling, only use charcoal starter fluid. Never add charcoal fluid or any other flammable liquids to the fire. When you have or are finished grilling, let the coals cool completely before disposing in a metal container.

• Never leave your grill unattended when in use.