Residential Blaze Spread from Fire Pit

Flames from a fire pit in the backyard of Surrey Road "spread only slightly" late Monday night and took about 15 minutes to extinguish, a fire official told Patch. 

Southampton Fire Co. No. 1 Chief Tom Brown said the fire, which began after 11 p.m. Monday in the Burgundy Hills development, originally started in an outside fire pit and spread from its original location.

The fire could have been prevented altogether. 

"The take away for residents is that Upper Southampton Township has an ordinance that prohibits open burning regardless of the container," Brown said.  

According to the township's ordinance pertaining to the restrictions on open burning, "all fires shall be tended by a competent adult person until such fire is extinguished, who shall have adequate fire extinguishing materials and equipment readily available for use as may be reasonably necessary."

Anyone convicted of violating the ordinance could be sentenced to pay a fine of not more than $1,000, and/or imprisoned for up to 90 days, according to the local law.