PENNSYLVANIA, USA — On Tuesday, a family in Springettsbury Township in York County lost their home to a house fire.
Fire officials investigated the incident, passing by burned Christmas gifts and charred holiday decorations.
Chief Daniel Hoff of York Area United Fire and Rescue said the fire was caused by a space heater.
He also said it is the second fire of this nature in December.
As temperatures continue to drop this holiday season, Hoff said it is important for people to remember the dangers heating equipment can bring to their homes if they're not careful.
According to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), 81% of house fires are caused by heating devices. In the same study, they found 14%—or one in six—of all home fires were caused by a space heater.
Hoff said it is usually caused by the equipment being turned over or being too close to items that can burn, such as bedding, furniture—and now, during the holiday season—decorations and wrapping paper.
He said a person's electrical grid in their home is usually taxed because of Christmas lights and decorations. Hoff reminds people that there are better ways to plug in a space heater.
“Make sure that a space heater gets plugged directly into the wall. You don't want to be using extension cords, or a power strip," said Hoff. "Those are typically the weak points in that circuit.”
The NFPA has identified several home safety practices that can help to prevent fires caused by heating equipment. These include the following:
- Keep anything that can burn at least three feet away from heating equipment.
- Maintain a three-foot kid-free zone around home fireplaces and space heaters.
- Never use your oven to heat your home.
- Have a qualified professional install stationary space heating equipment, water heaters and central heating equipment according to local codes and manufacturer’s instructions.
- Have heating equipment and chimneys inspected and cleaned every year by a qualified professional.
- Remember to turn portable heaters off when leaving a room or going to bed.
- Always use the appropriate type of fuel, as specified by the manufacturer, for fuel-burning space heaters.
- Ensure that the fireplace has a sturdy screen to stop embers from flying into the room. Make sure that ashes are cool before placing them in a bin for removal.