Heating and space heater safety from Washington State Fire Marshal’s Office

Photo by Mikhail Nilov.

During the coldest months of the year, home heating equipment kicks into high gear. Space heaters are most often responsible for home heating equipment fires, according to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA). The NFPA reports that an average of 45,800 home heating fires occurred each year between 2015 and 2019, resulting in 480 civilian deaths, 1,350 civilian injuries and $1 billion in property damage.

In Washington state, fires started by home heating are the third leading known cause for fire fatalities on a five-year average, resulting in 7% of the total incident count.

The State Fire Marshal’s Office reminds everyone to practice heating safety by:

– Having furnaces inspected and serviced once a year by a qualified professional.
– Keeping items that can burn at least 3 feet away from a furnace, fireplace or space heater.
– Leaving the building if you smell gas, whether it’s natural or propane. Call 911 immediately upon exiting.
– Turning off the space heater when you go to bed or leave the room.
– Purchasing and using space heaters that have an automatic shut-off if tipped over.
– Ensuring space heaters are plugged directly into a power outlet, and that no extension cords or power strips are used to power them.
– Not plugging anything else into the same circuit as the one being used for a space heater.
– Ensuring space heaters are placed on a solid and flat surface.

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