RENO COUNTY — An attempt to thaw frozen water pipes led to a Kansas house fire.

Just before 5p.m. Monday, fire crews were dispatched to a home in the 1500 Block of East 4th Street in Hutchinson for a structure fire, according to Battalion Chief Jeremy Unruh.

Initial arriving crews found heavy smoke showing from the attic of a single-story residential home. Crews made an aggressive interior attack and controlled the fire within minutes of arrival. The fire was located in a bathroom and had traveled to the attic. There was significant damage to both the bathroom and attic.

The home was occupied at the time of call. Maintenance personnel advised that they were thawing frozen pipes in the bathroom with a heat gun when items in their work area ignited. The occupants exited the building without injury, according to Unruh.

Parts of East 4th Street were blocked for approximately 2 hours.
Hutchinson Fire would like to remind residents to never use an open flame or high heat source (blowtorch, kerosene or propane heater, charcoal stove) to thaw frozen pipes.

If using an electric hair dryer or portable space heater to thaw pipes, keep away from flammable materials and never leave space heaters unattended. If you are unable to thaw the pipe, call a licensed plumber.