New York Deadly Fire Raise Concern about Space Heaters

As cooler weather approaches this season, many people are turning to electric space heaters to warm their homes. According to Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), space heaters are the cause of more than a thousand house fires a year.

About 1,700 home fires have been linked to space heaters in the last year.

The CPSC has opened an investigation into the deadly New York fire that occurred this past Sunday, killing 17 people. The cause of the fire was linked to a space heater.

Fire prevention specialist Rachel Foy here in Meridian discussed what you should look for when operating a space heater.

“Making sure the space heater has that automatic tip over. If it does tip over, it automatically shuts off”, stated Foy “When you get them, make sure there are no nicks or frays in the cording.”

Plugging heaters in surge protectors and extension cords are added layers of electrical connection, which increases the chances of overloading the circuit causing blowouts and fires.

“If space heaters are your primary source of heat, you don’t want to run them all day. They are not meant to be run 24/7”, said Prevention Specialist. “So, if you are using them as your main heat, use them in the room that you’re in at that time.”

Another important tip when using space heaters, Foy says is to make sure children know to keep their distance from them and that they are not a toy.

“The main thing is letting your kids know that when the heater is on, we don’t go around it, we don’t sit too close to it, and just help them understand that it’s hot. Let them know we don’t want to play with anything that’s hot and something dangerous can happen if we play with them.”

Experts say sitting space heaters on a level floor and having at least 12 inches of clearance is recommended.