Space heaters cause most home heating fire deaths

Five of six home heating fire deaths are caused by portable heaters, according to the National Fire Protection Association.

The Columbia Fire Department said to use caution when using space heaters. Assistant Fire Chief Brad Frazier said the department is frequently called to fires in the winter months started by space heaters.

He said people should check their space heaters before using them.

“Look at it for any visible damage, and check the cord is not frayed,” Frazier said, “You don’t want to see any cracks or exposed wires in the cord.”

Frazier said people often leave combustible materials, clothing, paper and trash cans too close to heaters. He recommends keeping heaters at least three feet away from objects.

“Make sure you plug space heaters directly into an outlet and not into a power strip,” he said. “They can overheat and that can obviously cause a fire.”