SOUTH PORTLAND, Maine (NEWS CENTER) -- A two-alarm fire in Gorham Saturday burned a garage down. Officials said the cause of that fire was a propane powered grill. Witnesses said they heard several explosions before firefighters arrived on scene.
As the weather warms up, firefighters said these types of fires become more common. Lieutenant Robb Couture of the South Portland Fire Department spoke with us today about how you can prevent grill fires.
For a propane grill, Couture recommended checking the tubes that lead into the burner, as well as the opening of the propane tank, for blockage from bugs or food grease.
A licensed fill station will not fill a propane tank that's expired, which is 12 years from its inspection date.
Once the tube is connected to the propane tank, Couture said to spray it with a mixture of water and soap. If bubbles form, that's an indication that propane is leaking.
When it comes to charcoal grills, Couture recommended checking the bottom for rust and holes where charcoal could fall out, and when you are done grilling, he said to place the charcoal in a metal bucket and store the bucket on a surface that is not combustible.
"We recommend that people are 20 feet away from buildings with either style of grill, and we also like people to know that it's important what's overhead and also what's underneath your grill," he said. "You don't want it on any combustible surface, such as a wood porch, deck, anything like that, and it's also important to be aware of overhangs."
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