A three alarm fire, caused by a carelessly discarded cigarette butt, tore through Black Sand Apartments in Lincoln, Nebraska early yesterday morning. Thankfully no one was injured, but several residents lost everything and some of them didn’t have renters insurance. Events like this highlight the importance of practicing fire safety and of covering your belongings with a renters insurance policy.
- Ready.gov offers some helpful tips for forming a good fire escape plan.
- Many providers (Allstate, Progressive, Travelers) offer renters insurance that can be bundled with car insurance policies for as little as 10 extra dollars a month.
Watch one Black Sand resident underscore the importance of renters insurance
Hear from one resident about how he got out safely after a fire at Black Sand apartment @1011_News pic.twitter.com/5UBRuurWJx
— Taylor Bishop (@TaylorBishopTV) October 18, 2017
Fire Facts:*
- Fire is FAST! In less than 30 seconds a small flame can turn into a major fire. It only takes minutes for thick black smoke to fill a house or for it to be engulfed in flames.
- Fire is HOT! Heat is more threatening than flames. Room temperatures in a fire can be 100 degrees at floor level and rise to 600 degrees at eye level. Inhaling this super-hot air will scorch your lungs and melt clothes to your skin.
- Fire is DARK! Fire starts bright, but quickly produces black smoke and complete darkness.
- Fire is DEADLY! Smoke and toxic gases kill more people than flames do. Fire produces poisonous gases that make you disoriented and drowsy. Asphyxiation is the leading cause of fire deaths, exceeding burns by a three-to-one ratio.
*courtesy of Ready.gov