Excessive clutter hinders firefighters at U Stuff It Storage

by Madeline Noblett

A Poudre Fire Authority investigator determined that a Jan. 24 storage business fire originated in a hallway bathroom within a center unit at 3021 W. Mulberry St. There were no data pointing to a clear-cut fire cause or ignition source.

The fire, at U Stuff It Storage, caused approximately $37,000 in damage in the unit in a centrally located building on the property. Fortunately, no one was in the unit at the time of the fire, and there were no reported injuries.

There was smoke damage throughout the building, as well as fire damage in the bathroom and adjacent hallway.

The unit contained excessive clutter – think boxes and furniture – that made firefighters’ job more difficult and dangerous.

Poudre Fire Authority reminds people that clutter-filled homes or businesses pose a risk to not only residents but also firefighters, paramedics, law enforcement officers and others who would respond to that location in an emergency.

The black smoke from fires makes it so firefighters oftentimes can’t see. They are specially trained to navigate structures blind to search for people who may be trapped.

However, significant obstacles, such as ceiling-high stacks of newspapers, make their jobs even more dangerous. Cleaning up and removing these obstacles improves your safety, as well as that of emergency responders, in the event of a fire or other emergency.