The fire in Annapolis that took the lives of six people reminds us all just how deadly fire can be. Hopefully all of us take the necessary precautions and do the best we can to make our homes fire-safe.
But the most recent article in The Sun, I'm afraid, raises more questions than it answers with respect to what really caused this horrible fire ("Medical examiner says Annapolis family died from smoke inhalation," Feb. 2). The preliminary investigation has determined that the fire was caused by a "faulty electrical outlet" that started the blaze. The article goes on to state, "The outlet generated heat that started the fire." Aren't outlets protected by circuit breakers?
The article further states that although the Christmas tree lights were on and plugged into the outlet, that anything plugged into the outlet, even a cellphone charger, could have triggered the blaze. We are then warned about combustible items near an outlet such as sofas, chairs, beds, etc. and that they should be kept away from outlets. Who doesn't have a sofa or bed near an outlet? That warning is just not realistic.
I find it interesting that the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives is still investigating the fire to the extent of even buying three trees from the same place where the Pyles bought their tree and plan to keep the trees in the same condition as the family's tree and ignite them to try and re-create the fire.
I am not an electrician and hopefully someone out there who is can respond, but I find it difficult to believe that an outlet could overheat enough, without tripping the circuit breaker, to cause this fire.
Richard Thompson, Catonsville