COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) -- Fire officials in Columbia are issuing warnings about the danger of fires from home heating equipment.
Chief Aubrey Jenkins says his officers responded Friday morning to a fire in Eastover that didn't cause any injuries but left three people looking for a new place to live.
Jenkins says it was the second home fire in as many days that started in or around the home's fireplace or chimney. Jenkins says the fires could have been avoided if those areas had been maintained and cleaned properly.
The National Fire Protection Association says space heaters and fireplaces caused more than 57,000 home fires nationwide in 2010. Those fires killed 490 people, caused 1,530 injuries and meant $1.1 billion in direct property damage.
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