WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. — A simple candle caused a Winston-Salem home to go up in flames Sunday night.
According to the Winston-Salem fire department, house fires are more common than we think, especially around the holidays.
Candles, Christmas lights, and festive feasts are all some of the best parts of the joyful season, but they could also end up being the cause of it becoming a nightmare instead.
We talked to John Powell, a fire engineer with the Winston-Salem Fire Department to help you keep your bases covered this season.
Cooking:
- Before having guests over and starting to cook, have a plan on what to do in case of an emergency.
- In the event of a cooking fire, carefully place a lid on the burning pot. Under no circumstance should you put water on a cooking fire.
Christmas lights and trees:
- If you're using a live tree make sure you water that tree every day because dry trees re more likely to catch fire.
- Do not connect more than three strings of lights together. Use an additional multi-outlet for more than three.
- Never leave your home with your Christmas decorations on.
Candles and fireplaces:
- Make sure you have a screen to keep embers from escapaing and have your flue open.
- Make sure everybody in the home knows you're using candles and where they're located
- Keep any flammable or combustible materials away from any open fire.
- Before you go to bed, make sure the fire is completely out.
According to the North Carolina Department of Insurance, so far in 2019, 96 people have lost their lives in North Carolina because of fire.
The North Carolina Department of Insurance, Office of State Fire Marshal and Safe Kids NC recommend the following NFPA safety tips to prevent fire, injury or poisonings:
Heating:
- Keep anything that can burn at least three feet away from heating equipment.
- Have a three-foot “kid-free zone” around open fires and space heaters.
- Never use your oven to heat your home.
- Remember to turn portable heaters off when leaving the room or going to bed.
- Always use the right kind of fuel, specified by the manufacturer, for fuel-burning space heaters.
- Make sure the fireplace has a sturdy screen to stop sparks from flying into the room. Ashes should be cool before putting them in a metal container, placed on a non-combustible area and stored a safe distance away from your home.
- Test smoke alarms at least once a month.
Cooking:
- Always stay in the kitchen while frying, grilling or broiling food. If you need to leave the kitchen, turn off the stove.
- Keep flammable items such as oven mitts, wooden utensils, food packaging, towels and curtains away from the cooking area.
- Establish a “kid-free zone” of at least 3 feet around the stove and other areas where hot food or drink is being prepared or carried.
- Be alert when cooking. If you are sleepy or have consumed alcohol, don’t cook.
- If your stove catches on fire, when in doubt, just get out! Call 9-1-1 from outside the home.
To learn more about fire and holiday safety, visit the OSFM website.
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