Portable Space Heater Home Safety

The U.S. Fire Administration just released its study of residential fires involving portable space heaters. Some of the findings include:

• Each year portable heater fires in residential buildings account for an estimated average of 1,650 fires in the U.S. These fires resulted in an average of 90 deaths, 175 injuries, and $84 million in property loss each year.
• The most common area of the home where portable heater fires occurred was the bedroom.
• Portable heater fires in residential buildings peak in January.

Many of these fires were preventable, as human error was a contributing factor to the fire. For example, placing the heater too close to combustible items, such as bedding and clothing,  and leaving the heater unattended or forgetting to shut it off when leaving.

You can read the full report at https://www.usfa.fema.gov/downloads/pdf/statistics/v18i8.pdf