A barbecue caught fire and spread to the deck of a Mountlake Terrace home this morning, causing more than $7,000 damage.

A resident of the home in the 7200 block of 226th Pl. SW called 9-1-1 to report the fire around 10:45 a.m. Several people were in the split-entry house when the fire broke out on the back deck. All safely exited the house and there were no injuries.

“Firefighters could see black smoke from blocks away as they approached the home. The back deck was in flames when they arrived,” said Leslie Hynes, public information officer for Snohomish County Fire District 1, which provides fire and emergency medical service to the City of Mountlake Terrace.

It took firefighters less than 10 minutes to bring the fire under control. The fire was contained to the deck and did not extend to the structure.

A resident told firefighters he lit the barbecue on the back deck to cook lunch, then went back in the house. When he returned to the deck a few minutes later, the barbecue was on fire. The barbecue was inside a free-standing, vinyl-covered gazebo. The fire heavily damaged the deck and destroyed the barbecue, gazebo and patio furniture on the deck.

The residents have insurance.

Fire District 1 offers these safety tips for barbecue use:

• Propane and charcoal barbecue grills should only be used outdoors. Barbecues should never be used for heating.
• To prevent carbon-monoxide poisoning, grills should only be used in a well-ventilated location outdoors away from windows, doors and vent openings.
• To prevent fires, grills should be placed well away from the home, deck railings and out from under eaves, decks, porches and overhanging branches.
• Keep children and pets away from the grill area.
• Keep your grill clean by removing grease or fat buildup from the grills and in trays below the grill.
• Never leave your grill unattended.

(Image: Barbeque, a Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial (2.0) image from lenniez’s photostream)