Top 5 Reason for a Home Fire

2/4/2019 (Permalink)

A fire, for the most part, can be avoided.  No one wants a fire, and yet they happen every day.  Here is a list of the top 5 reasons why a fire starts in a home.

1.  Unattended cooking.  It only takes a minute or two for burning pots and food to start a fire, and if you're away from the stove or oven, you may not know until too late that your kitchen is on fire.  If you must walk away, be certain to ask someone else to watch the food, or turn off the burners until you return.

2.  Heating.  Space heaters - wonderful source of heat or supplemental heat, but they can become a danger when placed near flammable items, such as window treatments.  If you have one that does not have auto shut-off when it is tipped over, be extra careful when placing the heater on a surface in your home.

3.  Smoking in Bedrooms.  Oh wow, did you know that 73% of all fatalities from a house fire comes from someone smoking in their bedroom?  The burning can smolder unnoticed by someone who is asleep.  The smolder can suddenly turn into a fire.  When it comes to smoking in the bedroom - don't do it.  It's hard to break a habit, but you can start a "new normal" and make a point of smoking in your kitchen, or better yet, outside. 

4.  Electrical Equipment.  Check all of your appliances to ensure that none has a frayed cord.  A frayed cord can start an electrical fire.  The next most common reason for an electrical fire comes from overloading power outlets.  Especially do not overload outlets with double adapter plugs.  It's very risky and unsafe.

5.  Candles.  Candles are so nice to have - they smell wonderful, and give off a subtle ambience.  As nice as they are, we sometimes leaves them burning unattended.  It happens.  We forget.  Always blow a candle out when leaving a room or leaving the house.  Ensure that you are not locating candles anywhere near flammable items, such as books, papers, curtains.

Be safe now and always.  Think twice before doing something that could result in a fire.