Wenham Garage Fire Was Caused By Fireplace Ashes

WENHAM, MA — Wenham fire officials said fireplace ashes were the cause of a garage fire on Thursday afternoon.

Heavy smoke was spotted coming from the garage of a home on William Fairfield Drive. Firefighters found the smoke was coming from a trash can in the garage. Officials said ashes from the fireplace were improperly disposed in the trash can in the garage.

“It can often take several hours for smoldering ashes to noticeably burn when they’ve been improperly disposed of, but thankfully a tragedy was averted in this case,” Wenham Chief Stephen Kavanaugh said.

The Wenham Fire Department shared tips for proper disposal of ashes and coals from the National Fire Protection Association:

• If possible, allow ashes and coals to cool in the area of the fire for several days. Chimneys and fire pits are designed to safely contain heat.
• When it is time to dispose of ashes, transfer them to a metal container and wet them down.
• Keep the metal container outdoors and away from combustibles
• Do not place any other refuse in the can with the ashes
• Do not use a combustible container to dispose of ashes

There were no injuries as a result of the fire, and the home had moderate smoke damage in the area of the fire.