WASHINGTON – Electrical fires and heating system fires are common in the winter when families resort to space heaters or leave their Christmas tree lights on for too long.
And it was the combination of the Christmas tree and an electrical failure in an outlet that triggered a fatal fire that killed six people and reduced an Annapolis mansion to rubble.
Pete Piringer, spokesman for the Montgomery County Fire and Rescue Service, says the best way homeowners can protect their families is to have a working smoke detector and an escape plan. Installing sprinkler systems can also buy families additional time to escape.
“The combination of a sprinkler system and a smoke alarm almost will guarantee that you’ll survive any kind of fire,” Piringer says.
Newly built homes and apartments in both Montgomery and Prince George’s counties are required to have sprinkler systems. But Montgomery County homeowners who retrofit their homes with the sprinkler systems also benefit from a one-time reduction in their county property taxes plus see reduced home insurance rates, he says.
Good housekeeping, keeping clutter away from furnaces or other heat sources plus regular checks of chimneys, heating or electrical systems can also help reduce the risk of fire.
Piringer also recommends that homeowners turn off holiday lights, or any appliances, when leaving the house or going to sleep.
Holiday lightbulbs or wires can grow hot from prolonged use and start a fire. Christmas trees, especially dry, weeks-old trees, provide fuel to a fire that can then quickly spread to other flammable furnishings like rugs and furniture.
Modern furnishings can become toxic when they burn because they are made from petroleum products and other chemicals. And often the smoke and gases that are released are more dangerous than the flames themselves, Piringer says.
Similarly, modern home construction, which uses glues and treated lumber, result in fires that burn hotter and faster than older homes.
“It’s not Hollywood or what you see on TV. Fire is fast, it’s dark, and it’s hot,” he says.
Smoke alarm maintenance
Piringer recommends homeowners replace smoke alarms every 10 years. And for those who can’t remember the last time their smoke detector was replaced, it’s probably time to do it, he says.
He recommends, and it’s the law in Maryland, that homeowners choose a long-life smoke alarm that comes with a built-in battery.
Find more fire safety tips and information about Maryland’s smoke detector law here.
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