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Electric Blanket Believed To Be To Blame For Fire In Wilmette

WILMETTE, Ill. (CBS) -- A fire in the north suburbs may be a cautionary tale in the cold weather Sunday, as the residents think it may have been started by an electric blanket.

Firefighters were called just after 11 a.m. for a fire at a house at 1026 Timber Ln. in Wilmette.

The residents, who were already outside, said they had an electric blanket on in the front room. That is where crews discovered a small fire.

The official cause of the fire was under investigation late Sunday, but with the cold temperatures, the acting Wilmette fire chief advised everyone to be careful.

"One thing we need to make sure is we don't overload any outlets. Electric blankets draw quite a bit of electricity as compared to some of the newer, more modern appliances," said Wilmette Fire Chief Robert Brill, "and also, nothing like that should ever be left unattended – especially while turned on."

No one was hurt in the fire.

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