[CGASMIA68]

My 2 cents...Tragic yes but some IDIOT cleaned out a wood burning appliance and put the coals,embers,ashes in a combustible container in the house(porch) or next to the house.(no container was found so it burned up,not noncombustible)When I woke Xmas and heard this I said this was 100% stupidity.
I burn wood all winter,the ashes go into a cast iron pot get covered and immediatly taken out doors, I never stop for any reason, and placed the container on the gravel drive next to a stone wall(no matter what the weather) and after a few days and the pot is cold they are scattered in the woods.
I consider this the most dangerous part of burning wood and do it once a week all winter.Also when I burn brush piles,this time of year after the pile has burned to the ground it is smoldering 2/3 days later so Smokey Bear is correct.

[rabidralph]

“stir the ashes, then drown again.” A 1960s Ad Council commercial on how to put out a campfire. I still remember the goofy VO and instructions.

[Lonesome in Massachussets]

I know it’s incredibly tragic and stoopid, but apparently, they took the hot ashes out of the fireplace because the girls were concerned that Santa would not be able to get down the chimney. I am not sure they regularly used the fireplace. Alcohol was probably involved.

[Lonesome in Massachussets]

When I hear that story, I wonder how the boyfriend can live with himself. I remember when a local pediatricians house burned down during the night, he could not locate his daughter and died after re-entering the house to look for her. She was safely outside, but he did not locate her. You should definitely have a “rally point” where you agree to meet in case you have to evacuate your home for any reason.

His behavior is in such stark contrast to the boyfriend's. Faced with the same situation I would like to believe I would either get the girls out, or die trying.

[hoosierham]

I worked in a gated community in the 1980s and one resident did exactly as you describe:put the ashes from a fireplace or wood stove into a plastic garbage can which he then set on the wooden deck!!!!

Luckily the ranger on patrol that night spotted the fire while it was still small and both the home and family were saved.It could easily have been a tragedy.