An electrical fire that ripped through the Waynesboro strip mall last Thursday caused more than $150,000 in damage.

Some might call it a fluke accident, but fire stations across the Valley say there are things you can do at home to prevent a similar happening. They also say there's no better time to learn than Fire Prevention Week.

At the fire station in Staunton, Lieutenant Victor Bussard wishes he never gets called out, but that's just not reality.

"We recommend that you have a fire escape plan for your family as to what happens if your smoke detector does go off at night," says Bussard. "This is a carbon monoxide detector, it detects carbon monoxide in the house. We recommend that everyone have at least one detector installed in their home."

Fire fighters urge the community to practice fire safety.

Bussard say, "We recommend you evacuate your house immediately and call 911 if there is a fire, because your main priority is you getting out and letting firefighters take care of the fire."

He says that electrical fires are common, and the effects are usually devastating.

"You don't want to have too many electrical things plugged into one outlet. Also, if you see something that doesn't look right that's electrical, it probably is not," says Bussard. "You need to have a certified electrician to come in and look at your electrical work to make sure everything is OK."

Bussard says that 70 percent of their calls are medical emergencies, but that doesn't mean people shouldn't practice fire safety. You can get carbon monoxide detectors and smoke alarms for free at many fire stations across the Valley.