Wood stoves can be safe if you follow some basic rules and use common sense.
First problem with them is the installation, some folks don't do it right, use the wrong type of stove pipe, and fail to properly fire proof around it.
Another problem is people fail to have them properly cleaned every season, no matter what type of wood you burn, it all leaves deposits inside the chimney that needs to be cleaned out, or you risk a chimney fire, and that's what probably happened in this situation.
If you spend the money and buy a good quality stove, good quality and approved triple wall smoke pipe, install it per modern fire and building codes, burn only well seasoned hard woods, (no treated lumber, woods containing a lot of sap, or Dura-Flame logs) and have it professionally cleaned at least every two years, then the chances of it starting a house fire are very low.
Another thing you all should have is a C0 detector in you home. If you have a total electric home, that being electric heat or heat pump, electric hot water, and stove, no fireplace or other apparatus that burns a fossil fuel, and no garage attached to the house, you really don't need one. However, if you have any type of apparatus that does burn any type of fossil fuel, a C0 detector is a must. Don't be cheap and buy those combination units that are both a smoke and Co detector, smoke detectors belong on the ceiling, Co detectors belong close to the floor. For the best protection they should be two separate units. A Co detector should never be mounted any higher than a light switch, and not in the same room as your mechanical equipment (furnace, boiler, hot water heater) or in the kitchen, you will get false alarms when they are placed in those locations. Install one on the lowest living floor, if you have a two (or more) story house, then add a second unit on the second living floor.
(a living floor being, any level of your home where you are likely to spend a lot of time, and have the opportunity to fall asleep somewhere on that level of the home) In other words, if it's an unfinished basement that is only used for storage or a work shop, then you don't want to put one there. If it's a finished basement with a TV, and furniture then you want one down there.
Just some helpful hints from your friendly local professional fire fighter....
