NEWS for North Dakotans
Agriculture Communication, North Dakota State University
7 Morrill Hall, Fargo, ND 58105-5665

January 14, 1999

Keep a Constant Watch for Fire Hazards

Every year more than 12,000 people are killed due residential fires, according to the National Fire Protection Association. Injuries due to residential fires are suffered by several thousand more people. But most residential fires are a preventable disaster, according to a North Dakota State University safety specialist.

"What makes these disasters even more tragic is that they are preventable. They don't have to happen," says George Maher of the NDSU Extension Service.

Maher notes that most residential fires start due to careless habits with easily ignited materials. Children playing with matches or cigarette lighters is one of the most common causes.

Up to 70 percent of residential fires start in the living room, kitchen or basement. As many fires happen in the daytime hours as during the night, except in multiple dwellings, where three-fourths of fatal fires occur during the night. Most fire victims usually were unaware of the fire until it was too late, Maher says. Some may not have been aware of the fire at all.

Fire hazards must be eliminated as soon as they are spotted, and a constant watch is necessary to reduce the deaths from residential fires. "Most fire hazards develop gradually, so people become accustomed to them and usually don't see them as a threat," Maher says.

"Accumulations of combustibles such as newspapers and magazines and other materials always start out small, but quickly becomes a stack containing several weeks of newspapers," he says. "And those combustibles are frequently stored in the worst areas, too. In utility rooms and next to the furnace are very common and very dangerous locations. A much safer choice would be an unheated area, to eliminate the source of ignition. The best choice is not to store them at all but to dispose of the materials right after using them."

Matches and cigarette lighters are also common causes of residential fires and must be kept out of the hands of children. Youngsters are frequently attracted to these items and home fires are often the result.

Another area of concern is the management of the wood-burning stove or heater. Many fires are started when the residents are away from home or have gone to sleep for the night. Before going to bed or leaving the house, the air intake vents for these units should be adjusted to slow down the rate of burning so the fire will not burn so hot and will last longer. Wood-burning heaters should never be left alone unless you know how to prepare the heater for this unsupervised time, Maher says.

The wood-burning heater and its stove pipe connections need a constant watch for buildup of soot and creosote throughout the season. Slow burning fires can lead to buildups of soot and creosote deposits. Occasionally the heater may need to be shut down for a cleaning session. During cleaning, inspect the stove for any damage or other dangerous conditions. Ashes should always be temporarily stored in a nonflammable, metal container such as a pail with a tight fitting lidand stored out doors.

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Source: George Maher (701) 231-8288

Editor: Tom Jirik (701) 231-9629