An electric space heater is to blame for a house fire in Altoona Thursday, according to the city fire chief. 

 

Crews responded to the 5000 block of 6th Avenue, just before 5 p.m., as plumes of smoke could be seen coming from the attic. 

 

A space heater was plugged into an extension cord, which has the tendency to over heat, according to the fire chief – a safety hazard often overlooked. 

 

“We would just ask that folks would take extra care this winter,” Tim Hileman, fire chief at Altoona Fire Department said. “As it’s getting colder and they use auxiliary heating in their home, to make sure they don’t have anything around the heater, that they leave enough space around the heater. That they plug it into an outlet and not extension cords.”

 

Hileman also said it’s important to not leave heaters unattended.