Blizzard-like conditions hamper firefighters
The high winds and snowy conditions that have swept across the East Coast hindered firefighters efforts to put out a fire at an apartment building in Connecticut overnight.
Crews told NBC Connecticut that any water they sprayed on the building quickly froze, limiting its effectiveness. In addition, the winds continued to fuel the fire, and blew smoke into a nearby business.
"[The] snow storm and the winds hampered our efforts greatly," Thompsonville assistant chief Paul Nabors told the station. "They were actually fanning the fire and the fire was blowing out."
The fire also caused roughly 500 homes to lose power, as firefighters were forced to shut off the electrical grid around the home. Each of the seven families was able to escape unharmed, and were being helped by the Red Cross, according to the station. It's unknown how many of them had renters insurance.
The issue of fires becomes a far greater concern during the winter months, as more families use secondary heating sources to stay warm. The Insurance Information Institute says that space heaters play a role in 25 percent of all heating fires, and cause nearly 74 percent of all deaths.
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