The most dangerous room in your home is the kitchen. That’s where 34 percent of home fires start, according to the National Fire Protection Association (www.nfpa.org). But a fire in the bedroom is most likely to be fatal. Here are some basic home fire safety tips from the association. For more, see www.homesafetycouncil.org/safety(undersc ore)guide/sg(underscore)fire(underscore)w001.aspx.
— Beth Botts, ebotts@tribune.com
1. Be careful when cooking. Pots left unattended on the stove are the leading cause of home fires. Keep combustible materials — curtains, pot holders, food packages — well clear of the stove, and don’t let small children or pets near the stove when it is on.
2. Don’t smoke in the house. If you must smoke, do it outside. Smoking is the leading cause of fire deaths, as smoldering cigarettes set mattresses, bedding or upholstery on fire. Most of those deaths occur in the bedroom. Another leading cause of fatal bedroom fires: Children under 5 playing with matches or lighters. So keep them locked away.
3. Snuff out candles. Don’t leave them burning when you leave the room or go to sleep. Use a secure, non-flammable candleholder. Keep candles away from clothing, curtains, books, holiday decorations or anything else that will burn. The use of candles caused 4 percent of house fires in 2004. The peak day for candle fires? Dec. 25.
4. Check the house before you go to bed. Fire deaths are most common during the nighttime hours. Make sure you have not left candles lit, cigarettes smoldering or stove burners lit.
5. Make sure your smoke detectors work. Smoke is the killer in most fires. And 74 percent of fire deaths occur in homes where there were no working smoke detectors. Test smoke detectors and replace batteries regularly.
