HESSEL Animal heat lamp blamed for fire

A fire that damaged a Hessel-area home was ignited by heat lamps used to warm chickens in cages on a back deck, a fire official said Tuesday.

The fire broke out Monday morning, burning a good portion of a home on Orchard Station Road.

?Somehow or another, one of those heat lamps was knocked down or something happened that caused it to come into contact with some combustibles,? said Gold Ridge Assistant Fire Chief Dan George.

The fire caused about $140,000 damage to the home and $20,000 to contents.

The family kept chickens on the back deck, and there were two heat lamps used to help keep them warm. The chickens were lost in the fire, but several other animals at the home were saved.

?Randi Rossmann

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