Henderson, Nev. – A candle left unattended in the bedroom of a Henderson home yesterday afternoon sparked a fire that caused an estimated $20,000 in damage.

A passerby saw smoke and flames coming from a two-story single-family residence and called 9-1-1 at about 4:45 p.m. on Monday, April 5. Henderson firefighters responded to the 2700 block of Kingclaven Dr. near Anthem Highlands and Democracy drives and extinguished the fire in an upstairs bedroom before it could extend to the adjacent rooms and attic.

There were no injuries and the home’s two adult residents and their three dogs were not displaced. The home is equipped with functioning smoke detectors which alerted the occupants to the fire.

Four fire engines, one fire truck, two rescue units and an air resource apparatus responded to the fire. A City of Henderson senior fire investigator, Henderson Police officers, Southwest Gas Corp. and NV Energy also assisted in the fire response.

The cause of the fire was determined to be accidental and the total estimated loss is valued at $20,000.

The Henderson Fire Department recommends the following safety tips to help prevent candle fires:
• Extinguish all candles when leaving the room or going to sleep. 
• Keep candles away from items that can catch fire (e.g., clothing, books, paper, curtains). 
• Use candle holders that are sturdy, won’t easily tip over, are made from a material that can’t burn and are large enough to collect dripping wax. 
• Don’t place lit candles in windows, where blinds and curtains can close over them. 
• Place candle holders on a sturdy, uncluttered surface and do not use candles in places where they could be knocked over by children or pets. 
• Keep candles and all open flames away from flammable liquids. 
• Keep candle wicks trimmed to one-quarter inch and extinguish taper and pillar candles when they get to within two inches of the holder or decorative material. 
• Votive candles should be extinguished before the last half-inch of wax starts to melt.