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‘Daisy-chained’ portable space heater caused house fire that injured two

Two people were taken to the hospital, one with critical injuries, after a house fire on South Market near East Harry Wednesday afternoon. (Nov. 29, 2017)
Two people were taken to the hospital, one with critical injuries, after a house fire on South Market near East Harry Wednesday afternoon. (Nov. 29, 2017) The Wichita Eagle

The Wichita Fire Department has discovered the cause of a house fire that injured two people at about 11 a.m. on Nov. 29.

Wichita fire Lt. Jose Ocadiz said it was an electrical malfunction that caused the fire in the 1500 block of South Market.

Fire investigators found several extension cords plugged into a series of three power strips that were then plugged into a portable space heater.

Ocadiz said portable space heaters need to be directly plugged into outlets and not “daisy chained,” in which power strips or extension cords are plugged into other power strips and extension cords.

Two occupants of the house had a combination of injuries from smoke inhalation and burns, but both have been released from the hospital.

Kaitlyn Alanis: 316-269-6708, @kaitlynalanis

This story was originally published December 4, 2017 at 12:45 PM with the headline "‘Daisy-chained’ portable space heater caused house fire that injured two."

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