Jan. 03--O'FALLON, Mo. -- A home in O'Fallon, Mo., was heavily damaged this afternoon in a fire that investigators suspect was caused by a Christmas tree that ignited from a fire that had been built in a fireplace.
The split-level home, in the first block of Aspen Pointe Drive, was about 80 percent lost in the blaze, said O'Fallon Fire Protection District Spokesman Scott Avery. Nobody was hurt.
At about 12:45 p.m., a female resident had started a fire in the fireplace, went outside briefly, and came back inside to find the Christmas tree ablaze. Firefighters from O'Fallon and Central County Fire and Rescue took about 45 minutes to put out the fire.
Firefighters caution against letting Christmas trees dry out this time of year, as they can be a fire hazard. Open flames from candles, lighters or matches can start tree fires, as well as shorts in electrical lights, according to the U.S. Fire Administration.
