SALT LAKE CITY — A Salt Lake City woman who suffered a garage fire caused by spontaneously combusting lithium-ion batteries has received a new furnace after living without heat for two winters.
Blanca Evans was selected to receive a new heating system through FOX 13's Heat for the Holidays initiative, sponsored by Same Day Heating and Air. Evans had been relying on space heaters to warm her home since her furnace stopped working.
"I'm speechless," Evans said when Tyler Rasband from Same Day Heating and Air arrived at her door to surprise her with the news. "This is gonna make me cry!"
Evans first came to public attention in November when her garage caught fire after lithium-ion batteries she was storing for neighbors spontaneously ignited. The incident highlighted the potential dangers of lithium battery storage, but it also revealed Evans' challenging living situation.
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"Just heaters are so expensive... $6,000 or so. I got a quote," Evans said.
The heating company measured Evans' home to ensure proper sizing and brought all installations up to current building codes for safety and longevity.
"We understand you've been without heat for the last few years," Rasband said. "We care about our community. We wouldn't be who we are today without giving back to community members like yourself."
Evans was anonymously nominated and selected from several candidates for the program. Some of her space heaters had stopped working, making her situation even more difficult.
Six days after the surprise announcement, technicians completed the installation of Evans' new furnace and thermostat.
"Warmth. Just the feeling of comfort of relief, of being able to just sleep at night without being cold," Evans said when asked what the new thermostat represented to her. "With my fibromyalgia, being cold is really difficult on my body, and so just having this heat and warmth... It's gonna help a lot."
Evans is someone who tries to help everyone, despite her own limited means. She describes this experience as a "miracle."
"Sometimes you don't know why things happen and why God does things. I just think, just, I feel so blessed and so thankful," Evans said. "I'll remember this for the rest of my life."
The Heat for the Holidays program continues to accept nominations. Those interested in nominating someone can visit fox13now.com/contests.
