A recent house fire in Spokane has brought to light the dangers of electric baseboard and space heaters. The Spokane Fire Department says a 97-year-old womandied in a fire in October, caused by a suitcase lighting on fire from the baseboard heater.
This week Assistant Fire Marshall Michael Miller dished out some tips to prevent tragic fires like this. He says this time of year they see an influx of fires from heaters.
Miller: “You should make sure that you’ve got combustibles 12-inches away from electric baseboard heaters, okay. Any radiant space heaters, you need to make sure combustibles are at least three feet away.”
He says another cause of winter fires is chimney fires. Miller says people should have chimneys cleaned and inspected by a professional before using it for the season, and should only burn clean dry wood.
The fire department offers a limited number of smoke detectors for people who have a disability or a limited income.
Copyright 2014 Spokane Public Radio
