With several local fires in recent weeks — two of which were fatal — attributed to heating devices, officials want to remind residents of ways to safely stay warm during the winter season.
New Haven resident Adrian Richardson Jr. died in his home last week in a fire that police believe started in a woodstove or its piping. On Dec. 14, another Oswego County man, Richard Sawyer, died in his Hannibal home after a possible heating device caused the blaze.
Other area fires attributed to space heaters include a Volney apartment fire near the Minetto Bridge on Nov. 12. Volney Fire Chief Ed Weldin said investigators believe that fire was caused by a space heater plugged into an extension cord in one of the building’s downstairs apartments. That building was declared a total loss. A house fire in the city of Oswego at 41 John St., on Dec. 5, was also attributed to a space heater.
According to the most recent data provided by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), the commission estimates that space heaters, including both fixed and portable heaters, are associated with about 21,800 residential fires every year. About 300 people die each year in fires started by these heaters.
”We’re still seeing too many space heater fires,” said CPSC former chairman Thomas Moore in an agency news release on space heater safety. “While CPSC has worked hard with industry to improve safety standards for space heaters, consumers must exercise care in their purchase and use.”
Oswego City Fire Chief Jeffrey McCrobie believes there is a safe way to use portable space heaters, if homeowners follow common sense and read the instructions and the owner’s manual that come with the appliance. “You may be in a jam where you need a portable heating source for a while,” he said, “but it doesn’t mean do it all the time. You’re asking for trouble like that. … They put off an awful lot of heat for a small device. They’re just not meant to be used long term.
“In the right place, for the right purpose and for the right amount of time, also,” the chief added. “If you’re waiting until the furnace is fixed, call the repairman today. Don’t wait three weeks to get it fixed. Within the realm of what they are supposed to be used for, they are fine. Basically it comes down to common sense and proper use.
“Stick to the what the directions say and common sense,” McCrobie said. “If you shouldn’t leave a candle burning, why would you leave a portable heating device on? It’s important to know what you’re doing with it.”
McCrobie noted that portable heaters, space heaters and temporary heaters are made these days with an automatic shut-off when they get tipped over. Despite the safety mechanisms built in, the chief said, “It would be smart not to leave them unattended.”
He stressed that the user should know how far away the device should be from anything combustible.
McCrobie urges users to read the owner’s manual so they can follow the recommended clearance and usage. “It’s common sense. You would almost think that you didn’t have to tell someone to keep their gloves off the heater,” the fire chief added. “But when the instructions say keep it away from combustibles, you shouldn’t be putting your gloves on top of it.”
The CPSC offers the following safety tips for buying and using space heaters:
Select a space heater with a guard around the flame area or heating element. Place the heater on a level, hard and nonflammable surface, not on rugs or carpets or near bedding or drapes. Keep the heater at least three feet from bedding, drapes, furniture or other flammable materials.
Choose a space heater that has been tested and certified by a nationally recognized testing laboratory. These heaters meet specific safety standards.
Keep doors open to the rest of the house if you are using an unvented fuel-burning space heater. This helps prevent pollutant build up and promotes proper combustion. Follow the manufacturer’s instructions to provide sufficient combustion air to prevent carbon monoxide production.
Never leave a space heater on when you go to sleep. Never place a space heater close to any sleeping person.
Turn the space heater off if you leave the area. Keep children and pets away from space heaters.
Have a smoke detector with fresh batteries on each level of the house and a carbon monoxide detector outside your sleeping area.
Be aware that mobile homes require specially designed heating equipment. Only electric or vented fuel-fired heaters should be used.
Have gas and kerosene space heaters inspected annually.
The Port City’s Code Enforcement Director Neal Smith advises residents that, according to the city code, kerosene heaters are not allowed in any structure except for use by owners of one- and two-family dwellings. “Homeowners who want to have a vented kerosene heater, they can do so,” Smith said. But he warned, “Any type of fossil fuel-burning device that is not vented is, in my view, problematic because you have the powers of combustion in your living space.”
Adding to the CPSC recommendations, he said kerosene heaters have to be approved and listed with an independent testing lab such as the Universal Laboratory (UL).
Smith noted that, in the city, the use of electric heaters has different rules. “I couldn’t find any language saying that they are not allowed. just says that heating appliances shall be listed and shall comply with this section: The heating element or combustion chamber shall be permanently guarded so as to prevent accidental contact by persons or materials,” Smith said. “I think the issue with portable electric heating appliances is the fact that because their is so high, they overload the electrical circuits in the building. It’s not so much the device … under certain circumstances if the building has a large electrical capacity you could use them safely. The danger here is that people use these in buildings that are not adequately wired to accommodate them electrically. They draw a lot of power. The cords get hot.”
“(Electric heaters) should be plugged in to a dedicated wall outlet with just the grounded cord,” Smith noted. “Unfortunately many times people use extension cords. The longer the extension cord, the hotter they’re going to get … extension cords are supposed to be temporary. That is in the code.”
Smith also warns not to run appliance cords or extension cords under rugs. “Do not use an extension cord, I’d like to emphasize that,” he said.
Housing inspector Pat Kelly noted that electric space heaters should never be left on when no one is home to monitor them. “Keep them away from clutter and combustibles,” she said. “Do some research on the heater you buy and make sure it’s good quality.”
The CPSC also warns consumers to be aware that older space heaters might not meet the newer safety standards. An automatic shut-off device is now required, which turns off electric or kerosene heaters if they tip over. More permanent shielding or guarding around the heating coils of electric heaters and the burner of kerosene heaters also is required.
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