HOUSTON – Firefighters are issuing a warning after a man’s home burned down after he lit a fire to stay warm.
The fire broke out around midnight Tuesday at a home on Palmer Street near Holman Street in Houston’s Third Ward.
The man told authorities he lit a small fire on his porch to stay warm, but the fire got out of control and ignited his house, authorities said.
Firefighters said they were able to put the blaze out quickly, but not before the fire spread through the home and even damaged the neighbor’s house.
The homeowner suffered a minor burn on his hand, but he did not want to go to the hospital and was treated at the scene.
Firefighters said the fire also knocked a few power lines down, but CenterPoint Energy is working to fix them.
The neighbor was not home at the time of the fire, authorities said.
Firefighters are warning people to not have open flames on their porches and to be careful when using space heaters during this time of year.
Arson investigators are on the scene to confirm the cause of the blaze.