CENTRAL INDIANA — As holiday celebrations ramp up, fire officials say this time of year can bring a heightened risk of home fires — and they’re urging families to take extra precautions.
On Tuesday, the Indianapolis Fire Department responded to a fire on the city’s southeast side after a dog knocked over a space heater, sparking flames inside a home.
Across central Indiana, several fires have been reported since Thanksgiving, displacing nearly two dozen residents, some caused by winter and holiday hazards.
“This time. Every year we see a lot of fire alarms that we get at businesses and at homes,” officials said Ashtyn Gosnell with the Vernon Township Fire Department in Hancock County.
She told WRTV that this is the season fire departments typically see more serious calls from fires started by some of those holiday hazards.
“Definitely, some neighboring departments have had those fires involving candles and space heaters,” she said.
Gosnell said four major hazards tend to drive holiday fire calls.
“We want people to look out for their candles, their space heaters, their trees, and then cooking, too,” Gosnell said. “There's a lot more people using space heaters in their homes…it's important not to leave anything on top of your space heaters."
She also urged people to be careful when using extension cords and holiday lights and to make sure they're not overloading circuits.
“Be careful with extension cords. We're watching what we're plugging into what, what has timers on it, so it's not staying plugged," she said.
Officials also recommend keeping your tree at least 3ft away from flammable materials.
Candles, another seasonal staple, can also be dangerous if not monitored.
“We don't want our candles next to things that are flammable because that can just cause a potential hazard. Also remembering little kids and pets that could knock them over,” Gosnell said.
Cooking remains one of the leading causes of home fires, especially during the holidays.
Gosnell reminded families to stay attentive in the kitchen, never to use water to put out a grease fire and to make sure lifesaving devices are working.
“A smoke detector saves lives. Those minutes that it can, um, alert you and your family is going to give you that crucial time to get out of the house so that when we get there, we can focus on saving your home, getting you out, getting your family safe,” she said.
The National Fire Protection Association reports that 30% of all home fires and fire deaths occur between December, January and even February.
Fire officials say it’s crucial to have working smoke and carbon monoxide detectors.
