Space Heaters Cause Bedroom Fires Twice This Week

Space heaters started bedding on fire twice in less than a week in Prince George’s County, warn Fire/Emergency Medical Services Department officials, who say residents were lucky to escape without serious injuries or a loss of life.

Firefighters extinguished two house fires that were caused by space heaters igniting nearby materials in bedrooms. Eleven adults and two children were displaced by the fires, which caused a combined loss estimated at $150,000.

“We were fortunate no one was injured or killed during these incidents,” said fire department spokesman Mark Brady in a blog post.

According to the United States Fire Administration space heaters cause one-third of home heating fires and four out of five home heating fire deaths.

The first blaze was reported about 1:30 p.m. Monday in a second-floor bedroom of a townhouse in the 11900 block of Beltsville Drive in Beltsville.

The second bedroom fire was reported about 9:30 a.m. Thursday morning inside a single-family home in the 1400 block of Early Oaks Lane in Chapel Oaks.

Brady says in both fires a space heater in a bedroom ignited bedding material, but because the fires occurred during the daytime, no one was killed.

“Colder temperatures during the winter season brings the highest number of home fires than any other time of year,” said Fire Chief Marc S. Bashoor. “Each season, home fires increase in part due to cooking and heating fires. Fire safety and injury prevention must not be lost in an effort to stay warm. Stay warm and do so safely. Safety First ensures everyone goes home.”

The department offers these safety tips for space heaters:

Space Heaters

• Buy only heaters evaluated by a nationally recognized laboratory, such as Underwriters Laboratories (UL).

• Check to make sure it has a thermostat control mechanism, and will switch off automatically if the heater falls over or if placed too close to an object.
• Heaters are not dryers or tables; don’t dry clothes or store objects on top of your heater. 



• Space heaters need space; keep combustibles at least three feet away from each heater.

• Always unplug your electric space heater when not in use. 


• Turn off at night or whenever you sleep.
• Never use an extension cord with space heaters - plug directly into wall socket.


Kerosene space heater

• Never refuel indoors.
• Remove the kerosene heater outdoors, turn off and wait for it to cool down before refueling and only use the correct type of fuel.



General Heating Tips

• Furnaces, fireplaces and chimneys should be cleaned and checked each year by a professional before they are used. Clear away any clutter from these heating devices, at least 3 feet away.
• Only use seasoned wood in fireplaces, never use ignitable liquids to start a fire and do not overload it.
• The 3-foot rule also applies to furnaces and fireplaces. No combustibles items within 3 feet of these heating appliances.
• Dispose of fireplace ash into a metal container and store outdoors away from structures on a concrete surface. Fireplace ash can ignite a fire days after they have been discarded.

»Photos of fire scenes from PGCFD spokesman Mark Brady