Crime & Safety

Kitchens, Bedrooms Top List for Most Common Places for Fires

The Stow Fire Department is doing its part during Fire Prevention Week to share safety tips and educating children.

Everyone knows the stop, drop, and roll, but there are many other ways to prevent a fire in your home.

Fire Capt. Mark Stone said fires are mostly accidental and the most commons places where fires originate are in the kitchen and bedroom. Most of the time, the fires are started because of human error. 

"These human factors are commonly cooking fires, smoking or candles," said Stone. "In fact in the past three years we have had as many as 10 building fires as a result of cigarette or smoking materials that were suspected as the cause of ignition."

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The second most common reason for fires is equipment failure, which can be anything from an appliance fire to faulty electrical wiring, he said.

"Appliance fires are sometimes dryers that overheat and catch fire due to lint build-up in the vent pipe. So, a word of advice here would be to keep the vent pipe clear of any lint through regular cleanings and inspections," Stone said. "If you have a dryer that has a filter that is accessible while the dryer could be running (like mine at home), you should avoid removing the filter while the unit is in operation or lint can be blown into the vent pipe where it will begin to build up causing reduced air flow which heats up the dryer unit more." 

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Here are five more tips recommended by the CDC:

  1. Install a smoke detector in every floor of your home and if possible, in all sleeping rooms. Be sure to perform a monthly test of your existing smoke detectors throughout the year.
  2. Make sure there is space around your heater and that window curtains or other flammable materials aren’t touching the heater.
  3. Create a family escape plan from your home in case of a fire. Everyone in your home should know at least two ways out of each room. Also, be sure to have a meeting place outside your home.
  4. Don’t smoke in your home. If you do, never leave burning cigarettes unattended and don’t empty burning or hot ashes in a trash can.  
  5. When cooking, keep anything that can catch on fire away from the stove including potholders, towels, long loose-fitting sleeves, etc. Also, never leave cooking food unattended and keep pot handles turned in when on the stove.

For more fire safety tips and facts, visit the National Fire Protection Association page.


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