Overheated Christmas Tree Causes Washington Fire

December 29, 2011

Firefighters say overheated Christmas lights sparked a fire in Mill Creek, Wash., that damaged a home and killed a 3-week-old puppy.

The Everett Herald reports that the woman at the residence Sunday night walked into her living room to find her Christmas tree on fire.

Snohomish County Fire District 1 spokeswoman Leslie Hynes says crews arrived and rescued three 3-week-old puppies, but a fourth one couldn’t be revived. No other injuries were reported.

Hynes says Investigators determined that the fire started when too many strings of Christmas lights were hooked together and overheated. Damage was estimated at $175,000.