NICE ? A Nice woman fell asleep smoking on her couch and awoke to heat from her dry and burning Christmas tree about 2:45 p.m. Wednesday on the 2500 block of Hamilton.
The double-wide modular home the woman was renting burned to the ground along with her Suburban, said Fire Chief Jim Robbins of the Northshore Fire Protection District. Robbins would not release the woman”s name.
“She virtually lost everything she owned except the shirt on her back,” Robbins said.
She did not receive any injuries from the fire, Robbins said. He said she stayed with neighbors and got in contact with the Red Cross Thursday for possibly housing and clothing assistance.
Robbins said the woman removed ornaments and lights from the tree but hadn”t taken it outside.
The cigarette ignited the tree, then a love seat the woman wasn”t sleeping on before moving to the walls of the home, Robbins said. He said she went to the kitchen to throw water on the flames but it wasn”t enough to extinguish them.
People at the North Shore Sentry Market were the first to call 9-1-1, Robbins said.
Robbins said when Northshore fire responded the house was in flames and all they could do was extinguish the charred remains.
Robbins recommends people run their hands down Christmas trees and if needles fall it may be too dry and people should remove it from their house, he said.
Christmas trees without water in their stands tend to dry out faster, he said.
“Even green trees that don”t look like they”re very dry will burn very quickly,” Robbins said.
Robbins said to be safe people can smoke outside or be careful when smoking inside.
“Certainly don”t do it if you”re feeling drowsy and want to take a nap,” Robbins said.
The Northshore Fire Protection District responded with three engines, a medic unit and a chief officer totaling 12 personnel, Robbins said. Crews left after mopping up about 5:15 p.m.
Contact Katy Sweeny at ksweeny@record-bee.com or call her directly at 263-5636, ext. 37.
