KANSAS CITY, MO (KCTV) -
A Kansas City man, trying to stay cool in the heat, is lucky to be alive after his air conditioner caught fire Saturday.
Crews were called to a home near 37th and Olive streets just before 1 p.m. Fire crews said the air conditioning unit was plugged into an extension cord, sparking the fire.
While nobody was hurt, the fire caused $90,000 in damage.
Fire officials hope the situation serves as a warning to people and a reminder to plug their A/C unit directly into a wall and not by an extension cord.
An earlier fire is another example of why people need to be careful in the very dry weather.
A discarded cigarette sparked a house fire near 60th and Mercier streets about 6 a.m.
The fire started on the deck and spread to part of the house, causing $1,500 in damage.
Luckily no one was hurt, but fire officials want to remind people to be careful with anything that can cause a spark.
While it may be known that a discarded cigarette can easily spark a fire, people should be careful where they leave those cigarette butts because a fire hazard could be sitting in a person's backyard.
With the hot and dry weather, fire officials warn people that the materials in potted plants can easily catch fire. Potting soil is part wood and mulch and is made up of ground up trees.
If a person stamps out their cigarette in the soil, they need to know that potting soil can be highly combustible in this kind of weather. It's important for people to care for their plants in the extreme heat. As dry conditions continue, it's recommended to make sure to give them lots of water, especially potted plants.
"You really need to be soaking your plants. Depending on what kind of situation - if they're potted plants, your pots may need to be watered every day or every other day. You want to be sure that you're thoroughly soaking the soil in the pots when you're watering them," Mark Titzman with Family Tree Nursery said.
For those plants in a person's yard, Titzman suggests giving them at least an inch of water every week.
Copyright 2012 KCTV (Meredith Corp.) and Associated Press. All rights reserved.
