Don’t let fire ruin your family Christmas.   Fire hazards greatly increase when decorating for the holidays; about one-third of home fires and home fire deaths occur during December, January, and February.  Fire is an expense you can’t afford this Christmas, potentially costing irreplaceable lives and an average of $35,000 damage per house fire.

Main Causes of Fire Calamities include:  Connecting multiple extension cords together, putting up holiday lights without inspecting them for frayed cords, letting your tree dry out after it is decorated in the home, creosote buildup in chimney, and leaving a burning candle unattended.

Top Winter Fire Hazards:  

• Cooking calamities. Keep an all-purpose or Class ABC rated fire extinguisher nearby to get a kitchen fire under control.
• Space heaters: Avoid setting up a space heater too close to curtains, furniture or holiday decorations. Keep at least three feet of clear space around it and set it up on the floor.
• Children playing with fire: Never leave children unsupervised with ignition materials such as matches or lighters.
• Burn only wood in the fireplace: Trash, cardboard boxes or Christmas trees burn unevenly and may cause a dangerous flash fire.
• Take care with candles: Make sure candles are in stable holders and place them where they cannot be easily knocked down. Never leave the house with candles burning.
• Holiday lights: Inspect each year for frayed wires, bare spots or broken sockets before putting them up. Turn off holiday lights before leaving the home or going to bed.
• Counterfeit electronics: Look for CSA or UL certification marks that indicate the product was tested and met the product safety standards.
• Electrical outlets: Don’t overload your electrical outlets with too many lights or decorations.
• Electrical cords: Never bundle electric cords together or run under rugs or carpet.
• Christmas trees: Needles on fresh trees should be green and hard to pull back from the branches. Regularly give the tree plenty of water.
• Dirty chimney: Most chimney fires are caused by the buildup of creosote, a highly combustible byproduct of burning wood. Have it inspected and cleaned annually.
• Dirty fireplace: Put embers in a metal container and set them outside to cool for 24 hours before disposal.

Wishing you a safe and Merry Christmas from the Robinette Legal Group, PLLC, West Virginia Injury Lawyers. Free books for WV accident victims — Call us today: 304-594-1800 for your free copy of Righting the Wrong: WV Serious Injury Guide; Collision Care: WV Auto Injury Guide; or Beside Still Waters: WV Fatal Injury Guide for Families.  We are glad to answer your questions.