MOUNT VERNON — Firefighters returned early Friday morning to the scene of a house fire on Pleasant Valley Road, south of Mount Vernon, to investigate the cause. The fire occurred late Thursday night, and destroyed the three bedroom, single-story home owned by Chris and Amanda Burdulis.
Lt. David Miller of the Central Ohio Joint Fire District said the apparent cause was an extension cord that had been used on the floor between the living room and the kitchen.
Miller said extension cords should not be used as permanent wiring, because they are not intended for that purpose.
“If they have constant power going through them all the time, they can heat up and break down, and that can cause the two wires to arc, and the heat can catch things on fire,” he said.
The home was not insured, according to the Burdulises, who are staying with family and being assisted by the Knox County Chapter of the American Red Cross.
Miller said smoke detectors were not in the home at the time of the fire, and that the family was fortunate Chris Burdulis had noticed smoke outside the couple’s bedroom.
The Burdulises, whose children were staying with relatives at the time of the fire, had to kick out a back door to escape because the living room was already in flames, blocking their exit through the front door. The couple was able to get three dogs out of the house before the home burned.
