Cape Coral Fire Department respond to generator fire, two suffer serious burns
A generator fire at home that hospitalized three, including serious burns to two residents, has the Cape Coral Fire Department urging residents to exercised care in the use of generators.
The Cape Coral Fire Department reported responding to the blaze around 10:45 p.m. Sunday night, Cape Coral firefighters and mutual aid partners responded to a structure fire in the 400 block of NE 12th Ct. Two residents suffered burns (one to 25% of their face and other parts of their body who had to be transported to a burn center) and the third resident suffered smoke inhalation and was transported to the Cape Coral Hospital. The cause of the fire was an improperly maintained generator housed on the lanai.
“This is one of many incidents involving a generator we have responded to since Hurricane Ian passed. We can not emphasize enough the importance of proper generator use and care,” the department stated on their Facebook page.
“Keep your generator at least 20 feet from your home and NEVER run it in an enclosed area including garages and lanais. Make sure the generator is off and cool when you refuel it. Generators produce carbon monoxide which is an odorless, colorless, tasteless gas that can make you sick or even kill you if exposure is not caught in time. If you are running a generator, you must have a carbon monoxide detector. It can save you and your family’s life,” the department stated on their Facebook page.