With freezing temperatures forecast for the week, the Paris Fire Department is warning locals about the dangers of space heaters and what you can do to protect your family.
According to NFPA’s latest U.S. Home Fires Involving Heating Equipment report, heating equipment is the second-leading cause of U.S. home fires and the third-leading cause of home fire deaths. Furthermore, 53% of all home heating fire deaths resulted from fires that began when heating equipment was too close to things that can burn.
“People need to make sure heaters are clean, no lint and dust build-upon them, and that they are functioning normally,” said Paris Fire Department’s Deputy Chief Bob Rast.
Between 2011 and 2015, portable and stationary space heaters accounted for 43% of home heating fires and 85% of home heating fire deaths.
“If you have a space heater in your home, you need to make sure you don’t have them close to any combustible items such as boxes, trash cans etc. and they should not be plugged into an extension cord they need to be plugged directly into a wall outlet.”
Officials also stress the urgency of making sure your home is equipped with a working smoke detector year-round, but especially during the colder months.
