Winter cold means wood stove and fireplace season for many homes, which also means the potential for homes being destroyed if the resident doesn't take care of some simple safety chores.
Paint Creek Joint EMS & Fire District Chief David Manning says make sure wood burners are properly installed and maintained. This includes cleaning chimneys of creosote buildup, which can cause fire to break out where it is not supposed to.
Manning says many homes and lives are lost each year in Ohio, because some simple steps were not followed.