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Montgomery County Residents Lose Home to First Space Heater Fire of the Season

By: Jimmy Williams/Montgomery County Fire Marshal's Office
| Published 10/18/2019

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MONTGOMERY COUNTY, TX -- Just after noon Friday, Montgomery County Firefighters responded to a report of fire in the bedroom of a home in the 13500 block of Pinewood Village in southeast Montgomery County. The first arriving units from the Caney Creek and Needham Fire Departments encountered heavy fire conditions in the home, but fortunately the residents were awake at the time of the fire and were able to escape. While there were no injuries, the family of 5 lost their home and possessions to the fire.

Fire Investigators from the MCFMO determined that the fire was started by a space heater in the bedroom. Family members stated that they had used the space heater last night and forgot to turn it off when they left the room. The home did not appear to have any working smoke alarms and had this fire broke out while the residents were sleeping, the outcome could have been tragic.

Space heater fires can be especially deadly and are responsible for over 80% of all fatal home heating fires. They should be plugged in directly to the wall, and should not be plugged in on an electrical circuit with other items as they may cause an overload and fire.

With cooler weather comes an increased risk for home fires as many area residents will be looking to alternative heat sources, such as portable space heaters and wood burning fireplaces to help heat their home. Home heating fires often occur at the worst possible time, breaking out in the middle of the night while our families are asleep. Space heater fires can be especially deadly and are responsible for over 80% of all fatal home heating fires. Portable space heaters are designed to provide temporary heat only and should never be left on when you go to bed or leave the room. Their high electrical demand can overload older or defective home wiring and they should always be plugged directly into a wall outlet, and should not be plugged in on an electrical circuit with other electrical appliances to reduce the chance of an overload and fire.

The number one safety recommendation is to first and foremost have working smoke alarms throughout the home, especially in all sleeping areas. Having working smoke alarms dramatically increases your chances of surviving a fire. To help insure the safety of our residents, Firefighters have launched an operation known as “Get Alarmed Montgomery County”.

Under the program, residents can request free long life smoke alarms be installed in their home by area firefighters. Free smoke alarms are available to homeowner’s that cannot afford new smoke alarms or need assistance in installing alarms they have already purchased. Homes with small children and the elderly are most at risk, as they are up to 4 times as likely to die in a home fire as the average adult.

Residents needing assistance are encouraged to reach out to their local fire station to schedule a home visit or you can contact the Montgomery County Fire Marshal’s Office at (936) 538-8288.

If you live in a rental home, mobile home, or apartment, State Law mandates that your landlord install working smoke alarms in every bedroom and hallway. After that, tenants are responsible for maintaining fresh batteries and notifying the landlord if the smoke alarm malfunctions.


Preventing Home Heating Fires
A leading factor contributing to home heating fire deaths was heating equipment too close to things that can burn, such as upholstered furniture, clothing, mattress, or bedding. Many heating fires can be prevented by following basic safety tips when dealing with any heating equipment:

• Keep or maintain a 3 foot clearance between all heating equipment and anything that can burn.

• Inspect and maintain heating equipment regularly for safety.

• Be sure to have fixed space heaters installed by a qualified technician, according to
manufacturer’s instructions or applicable codes. Or, make sure a qualified technician
checks to see the unit has been properly installed.

• When buying a new, portable space heater, make sure it has the label showing it is
listed by a recognized testing laboratory, such as Underwriters Laboratories (UL).

• Space heaters should be turned off every time you leave the room and before going to
bed.

• Choose space heaters that turn off automatically if they tip over.

• Never use a space heater to dry clothing.

• Do not use your oven to heat your home.

• Install smoke alarms in every bedroom, outside each sleeping area, and on every level
of the home. For the best protection, interconnect all smoke alarms throughout the
home. When one sounds, they all sound.

• Test smoke alarms monthly.

• If your home is equipped with gas appliances, install and maintain carbon monoxide alarms to avoid risk of carbon monoxide poisoning

For more information on home heating safety, please check out the NFPA website
http://www.nfpa.org/safety-information/for-consumers/causes/heating/heating-safety-tips

You can also find more information on our website - www.mctx.org/fire
or find us on facebook - https://www.facebook.com/MCFMO

Additional Source: NFPA's “Home Fires Involving Heating Equipment' report

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