Faulty sump pump found to be cause of northeast Columbia house fire

UPDATE, 6:30 p.m.: The fire marshal confirmed Sunday’s fire happened due to faulty wiring on a basement sump pump.

The Columbia Fire Department could not confirm Monday if the home’s wiring had been done professionally or not, but experts recommend getting household devices and electric wiring inspected yearly to catch any problems.

Fire officials could not confirm if the home’s wiring had been done professionally or not.

Brian Wear, owner of Brian Wear Plumbing in Columbia, said having a professional do an inspection or installation can be expensive, but it’s worth it to avoid thousands of dollars in damages.

“I find that even though our home is probably our biggest investment we ever make in our lives, a lot of people tend to wait until we have a problem to address it,” he said.

He also recommends vetting any and all potential companies.

“You want to know that it’s a reputable company that’s licensed and insured so that if you do have a problem, they’ll be able to take care of it,” he said.

Sump pumps should also be operating in an area that’s clear of debris and functioning with the proper GFI outlet.

ORIGINAL STORY: Columbia firefighters were called to Stevendave Drive in northeast Columbia Sunday morning for a report of a basement fire.

It’s still unclear where the fire started but firefighters said they saw smoke and flames from the windows of the home.

Firefighters couldn’t confirm if the residents were home when the fire started but told ABC 17 they were there when crews arrived. No one was hurt.

It took firefighters about 20 minutes to put the fire out.

The fire marshal is investigating.