CHILLICOTHE, Ohio — A propane heater used to thaw frozen water lines may have sparked a fire at a Ross County mobile home park this week, according to sheriff’s reports.
Deputies were dispatched around 1:33 p.m. on Dec. 30 to a structure fire at Kenowa Village on Pleasant Valley Road. When they arrived, deputies determined the incident was non‑criminal and began documenting the scene, the Ross County Sheriff’s Office said.
The deputy, upon arrival, reported speaking with a maintenance worker who said the office building’s water lines were frozen. The man, according to the report, told investigators he placed a propane tank heater beneath the structure to warm the lines before leaving briefly. When he returned, fire crews were already on scene. The man said firefighters told him the heater may have overheated the siding, potentially igniting the fire. He also noted that the heat tape was plugged in, and an electrical issue could not be ruled out.
Officials on the scene told deputies they did not observe anything suspicious. The fire was contained to the office building, and no injuries were reported.
(All information was obtained from the RCSO report SO-P2505640.)
