Officials warn of more house fires during cold weather
JACKSON, Tenn. — As temperatures drop across West Tennessee, many are unpacking their space heaters and lighting their fireplace to stay warm. The Madison County Fire Department said this is their busiest time of the year. From electric and kerosene space heaters to fire places, each one has a high risk of causing your home to catch fire. “This time of year we see a big upswing in secondary heat sources being the cause of fires,” Madison County Fire Chief Eric Turner said. What may seem like common sense fire officials said is sometimes forgotten. “With everyone so busy nowadays, things slip your mind,” Chief Turner said. “Especially heaters being left on and that type of thing.” Officials said space heaters cause thousands of fires every year. “They’re made for temporary use, and if you use them long periods of time the cords can overheat and cause fires,” Turner said. Other than space heaters, fire officials said fire places also are a leading cause of fire throughout homes during the colder months. That’s why they said to make sure your flue is open and you have a screen to cover the flames. “People sometimes don’t check their chimney,” Chief Turner said. “They light their first fire of the year and they had a chimney fire and it did some damage to their house, so it’s recommended you check it every year.” But other than the flames there also is another killer when keeping warm. “Burning anything with an open flame, it’s putting off carbon monoxide,” Chief Turner said. “If that’s in an enclosed area, that can be deadly.” Turner said if you do decide to use a space heater to never use an extension cord and always keep a three-foot clearance area around your space heater. He also warns against using an electric or gas oven as a heat source as well. Officials also suggest checking your smoke alarms before turning on any heat source for the first time. The Madison County Fire Department offers free smoke alarms and free installation if you need them.
