Temple House Fire Caused by Overloaded Power Strip

Temple Fire & Rescue officials say the improper use of an electrical cord caused a fire Monday evening.

Crews responded to a home in the 2900 block of Forest Trail Drive around 9:09 p.m. and observed smoke billowing from a back bedroom. The fire was confined to the room and quickly extinguished, but caused significant damage. Fortunately, fire alarms in the home were working, and the couple living there escaped without injury.

Investigators determined that the fire was caused by an overloaded power strip. According to a press release issued by Temple Fire & Rescue, many easily avoidable fires are caused by the misuse of electrical cords, such as overloading circuits, running cords under rugs or in high traffic areas, and poor maintenance of cords.