DETROIT – The next couple of days could be busy and very dangerous for firefighters. As temperatures get colder the chance of house fires goes up.
With temperatures in the teens, there are a number of issues firefighters deal with when it's this cold.
"When the water hits the steps and the ladders, the crew has a very hard time getting up the ladders," said Derrick Williams, Detroit Fire Department's battalion chief.
Those ladders can freeze very quickly, and the water on the ground can freeze, too. Just walking -- can become difficult.
It took crews about 40 minutes to get a fire contained on Detroit's Westside Tuesday night, but with bigger fires, they can spend hours in the freezing conditions. And even though firefighters wear several layers, even that can be dangerous.
"They're sweating up under their gear and they're taking off their nomax hoods here because they get wet," Williams said. "They have to take them off because when they go up in the attic some of the heat gets in there and they can get steam burned."
On a night like Tuesday night, the water inside firefighters' hoses can even freeze, hindering them and putting their lives at even more risk.
The conditions are some of the hardest. But officials said it can all be avoided if you're cautious about how you heat your home.
"People do have to monitor their space heaters and things of the such," Williams said. "Also, check your batteries and have an escape route. That's the main thing we're asking."