North Dakota State University -- NDSU Agriculture Communication
7 Morrill Hall, Fargo ND, 58105-5655, Tel: 701-231-7881, Fax: 701-231-7044
agcomm@ndsuext.nodak.edu

November 7, 2002

Eliminate Fire Hazards Now, NDSU Safety Expert Recommends

About 12,000 people die every year as a result of residential fires according to the National Fire Protection Association. Thousands more suffer injuries. "Those tragedies don't have to happen, they are preventable," emphasizes George Maher, a safety specialist with the North Dakota State University Extension Service.

"Careless habits with easily ignited materials are the cause of most of these fires," he says. "One of the most common causes is children playing with matches or cigarette lighters. Youngsters are attracted to those items. Extra care must be taken to keep matches and lighters out of the reach of children."

About 70 percent of residential fires start in the living room, kitchen or basement. As many fires start in the daytime hours as during the night, except in multiple dwelling buildings where three fourths of the fatal fires occur during the night. "Most victims are usually not aware of the fire until it is too late and some are never aware at all," Maher says.

To prevent fires, keep a constant watch for new hazards and eliminate them as soon as they are spotted, he recommends. All residents should be on the alert to spot and control fire hazards. "Most fire hazards develop gradually, so people tend to become accustomed to them and often don't see them as a threat," Maher notes.

Combustibles are frequently stored in the worst areas. "Accumulations of newspaper and other combustible materials always start out as a small stack or just one or two papers, but soon it adds up to several weeks of newspapers," he says. "Utility rooms and locations next to the furnace are common and dangerous locations for that material to accumulate. 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."

Another area of concern is the management of a wood-burning stove or heater. Many fires start when the residents are away from home or have gone to sleep for the night, Maher notes. "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."

A wood-burning heater and its stove pipe connections need to be monitored for buildup of soot and creosote throughout the season, he says. Slow-burning fires can lead to buildups of soot and creosote deposits. Commercially available products, when used as recommended, can reduce these deposits in the stove pipes and chimney. Occasionally the heater may need to be shut down for a thorough cleaning session. This is a good time to inspect the unit for any other dangerous conditions that may be developing.

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Source: George Maher, (701) 231-8288, gmaher@ndsuext.nodak.edu
Editor: Tom Jirik, (701) 231-9629, tjirik@ndsuext.nodak.edu