Monday night’s fire, which gutted an Albert Lea home, was an unfortunate reminder to use caution when decorating for the holidays.

The North Lane residence caught fire after lights on a small Christmas tree were plugged in and blew a fuse. Within moments, the home was ablaze &045; every homeowner’s worst nightmare.

Our sympathies go out to the woman whose home was destroyed and we are thankful no was hurt. A fire is never a welcome event, but it seems particularly awful during the holiday season.

Every year, nearly 4,000 Americans die in home fires and approximately 25,000 are injured. Electrical fires are one of the leading types of home fires and often stem from improper installation of electrical devicecs.

Chimney fires are another common cause of fires at this time of the year, so be sure to have your chimney inspected and cleaned annually by a certified specialist.

It would be prudent to heed the advice offered by Fire Chief Richard Sydnes:

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Limit the number of extension cords

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Don’t run cords under carpeting

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Keep cords and holiday lights away from flamable items.

In addition, make sure your tree is fresh and the tree stand is full of water at all times.