WAYNE TOWNSHIP — Due to an unsafe heating method, members of a Dowagiac family lost their home in a massive blaze right before the turn of the new year last week.

On Friday, firefighters with four departments responded to a house fire on O’Keefe Road in Wayne Township. In addition to the Wayne Township Fire Department, crews with the Dowagiac, Sister Lakes and Decatur firehouses responded to the call, where, in addition to dealing with the fire and smoke, officials faced difficulty traversing the snowy unpaved roadway, said Wayne Township Supervisor Frank Butts.

Butts said that officials believe the fire was caused by a makeshift wood stove located in the basement of the property. The flames spread from a pipe leading to the house’s chimney up into the attic, where it spread to the rest of the home.

The house is considered a total loss due to the damage, Butts said.

“No one was hurt,” he said. “That was the only good thing to come out of this incident.”

Butts said the heating device that caused the fire was not approved for residential use.

“It is not a safe thing to use on your property any time of year, but it’s especially dangerous when its burning that hot to keep the house warm during such cold weather,” Butts said.

With temperatures this week forecasted to remain far below freezing, it is vital that residents keep safety in mind when warming their homes, Butts said. Homeowners should make sure that any heating equipment is properly installed, and that chimneys and other ventilation systems are cleaned.

Residents should also ensure they have smoke detectors installed and that they are working properly.

The City of Dowagiac also offers the following tips for people’s use when using space heaters this winter:

• Always use a heater with the Underwriters Listed label

• Always use a heater with a thermostat to automatically shut down the unit when the desired temperature is achieved

• Always use a heater with a tip-over automatic shut-down feature

• Always keep heaters at least 3 feet (36 inches) from all combustible materials e.g. file cabinets, desks, trash cans, curtains, and furniture

• Do not place heaters under desks or other enclosed area.

• Heaters must be monitored when in operation

• Plug heater directly into a wall receptacle; never plug it into an extension cord

• Heaters need to be monitored daily; those heaters missing guards, control knobs, feet, etc. must be taken out of service immediately

• Do not use heaters in rooms that will not be continually occupied

• Keep doors and windows closed, including storm windows

• Keep space heaters away from exit ways, walkways and paths of travel

• Do not use space heaters in wet areas like bathrooms or kitchens

• Do not use portable space heaters if small children are expected in the area