Storage Unit Fires: Look for "Residents" with Tim Thompson

Code 3 - The Firefighters Podcast

What’s potentially harder to locate victims in than a hoarder house?

A stuffed-full self-storage locker.

But that’s exactly what can happen. And even if the victim’s not inside at the time of the fire, their activities may have caused it.

Those storage spaces are frequently climate-controlled, and they’re cheap…maybe $100 a month for a small one.

That makes them seem like a great place to live for someone who can’t afford to rent an apartment.

They aren’t, of course, and occupants who choose to try living in one can become the victim of a fire they can’t escape.

This week, my guest tells us about his experiences with homeless people who tried to make a storage unit home…and regretted it.

Tim Thompson is chief of the Georgetown, Kentucky Fire Department. He’s worked his way up over 19 years of service from firefighter to the boss. He’s also a member of the Kentucky Association of Fire Chiefs.