Heating Season Dangers

As we get into the much colder weather and you are using your baseboard electric heaters, please check that nothing is touching the units…table legs, sofas, drapes, bedding etc.  While the heat source may not ignite the cloth or wood initially, constant on-off cycling over time can.  Make sure you have a space.  There was a structure fire on Penelakut that was a result of furniture pushed up against baseboard heating.

And on the same subject, plugging a “space heater” into a power bar or extension cord will  also increase the risk of a fire.  The heater instructions state that for very good reason.  We recently had a very near miss here on Thetis for a structure fire because of an electrical short on a power bar that a space heater was plugged into.  I have included links to three photos on the TIVFD website below.  Please don’t overload your circuits.

https://www.thetisislandfire.ca/burnt-out_power_bar.jpg

https://www.thetisislandfire.ca/over-heated_wall_socket.jpg

https://www.thetisislandfire.ca/melted_plug.jpg

Fire Chief J. Caldbeck