BARGERSVILLE, Ind. — With much colder weather on the way, many fire departments across Indiana are sounding the alarm on space heaters.
In the past two weeks, the Bargersville Community Fire Department responded to two space heater fires. Both caused significant damage and displaced two families right before Christmas.
”Usually, we don’t see space heater issues until we get into those extreme cold conditions,” Bargersville Deputy Fire Chief Michael Pruitt said.
According to Pruitt, heat sources (including space heaters) cause roughly 80 percent of all deadly house fires each year.
”If it’s an old space heater that you’ve had for a long time, maybe doesn’t have the safety issues on it, get rid of it,” Pruitt said.
If you plan on using a space heater this winter, never leave one on unattended or when you go to sleep, never place one on an uneven surface, and never place one close to surrounding objects, especially flammable materials like Christmas trees.
”If you shake the tree and all of the pine needles are falling off of it right now, that’s a good time to get it out of the house, because it’s just a giant candle waiting to burst into flames,” Pruitt said.
According to Pruitt, you should always read the instructions for your space heater, check for damage to cords and plugs, and always make sure to plug space heaters directly into the wall (and not an extension cord).
“You can feel like the warmth, there,” Pruitt said, referring to a space heater plugged into an extension cord. “That will continue to build until we cause a fire.”
Pruitt also said if you notice your circuit breakers going off when you plug in your space heater, do not reset them. This could overload the system in your home and cause a fire. In addition to flames, space heaters can also spread toxic fumes if they catch fire.
”These toxic gases that are being given off could fill the whole home before we actually have flames in the home,” Pruitt said. ”When that happens, we may not even wake up to know there’s a fire.”
In addition to keeping your space heater in a well-ventilated area, Pruitt said the most important investment is a working smoke alarm in every sleeping area on every floor of your home.
”This is the best investment you can make to keep your family safe,” Pruitt said. “You owe it to your family.”
If you’re considering purchasing a space heater, Pruitt said to stay away from ones that burn fuel like kerosene. He recommended infrared space heaters that don’t have a wide, exposed surface area but do have a temperature control feature.
