Sep 15, 2008 at 4:54 PM PDT - This is a press release courtesy of Eugene Fire & EMS

A house fire Monday afternoon in Eugene’s Santa Clara area that caused an estimated $20,000 damage was caused by improper use of an electric food dehydrator, officials from the Eugene Fire & EMS Department said.

The fire at 473 Violet Lane was reported to 911 shortly after 2 p.m. Firefighters from Santa Clara RFPD and Eugene Fire & EMS arrived quickly and were able to accomplish a rapid knockdown of the fire, limiting the damage to a deck, hot tub, and exterior wall of the house, along with a neighbor’s utility trailer and fence.

Fire officials on-scene said the likely cause of the blaze was improper use of a food dehydrator of the type that heats flavored wood chips by way of an electric heating element. Fire service personnel encourage anyone working with sources of heat to be sure that they and all heat-bearing materials are either attended or are thoroughly extinguished.

Comments: food dehydrators are after all electric devices and care should be taken when using them. Keep in mind that not all food dehydrators are created equal. Some are meant for 'recreational' use while others are indeed meant for 24-hour use. Please see our article on Excalibur food dehydrators for top of the line products in this area.

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