Fire starts at Boone County home after residents try thawing pipes with propane heater

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

A small fire was reported at a Boone County home on Monday in the 4900 block of O’Neal Road.

Boone County Fire Protection Assistant Chief Gale Blomenkamp told ABC 17 News that a small fire was reported behind a cupboard after residents at the home tried to thaw a frozen pipe. There were no injuries.

Sub-zero temperatures hit Mid-Missouri throughout the weekend and into Monday, with snowfall coming into the area Monday afternoon. Frigid temperatures are expected to continue through Wednesday morning.

Blomenkamp said residents were using a propane heater in the crawl space of the house and that the fire was contained to the area below and behind a cupboard. He said the wall and subfloor caught fire.

“(They are) very lucky to still have a house,” Blomenkamp said.

Blomenkamp said this call was Boone County Fire’s first call for thawing frozen pipes during this cold spell in Mid-Misouri. Last week, Blomenkamp warned people to not use blow torches to thaw frozen pipes.