Holiday Fire Hazards
A room illuminated by the soft glow of candles…what could be more inviting? Sounds like the ideal setting for a holiday party, but just imagine that room charred beyond recognition because of a fire caused by lighted candles.
The National Fire Protection Association reports that the number of home fires caused by candles has nearly tripled in the past decade. Nearly twice as many home fires occur in December as in any other month. Use candles with care. Don’t leave them burning in unoccupied rooms and keep them away from flammable items such as upholstered furniture and draperies. It’s a good idea to use hurricane lamps to protect the candles. Of course, keep small children and pets away from rooms where candles are burning.
Now is a good time to make sure your smoke detectors are working properly. While 13 out of 14 U.S. homes have at least one smoke detector, about one third of the detector-equipped homes have had fires. The detectors didn’t work, and this is usually because of dead or missing batteries.