New Year’s Day is meant to be a joyful and relaxing time. But this past Wednesday, it almost became an anniversary of mourning for one family in Orange, Texas.

An extension cord connected to a space heater caused a fire that engulfed the family’s home. All the occupants escaped without injury, but the home was lost. Read the full story.

With the bitter cold, many Minnesotans will crawl under blankets and quilts to stay warm. If the furnace isn’t enough, we may curl up under those blankets near a nice, hot space heater or fireplace. Who doesn’t love listening to the crack of a roaring fire?

However, if that fireplace isn’t covered by a screen, those sparks could turn your entire home into one big fireplace. If that blanket of yours lays too close to that cranked up space heater, it might become fuel for a fire.

Be careful with alternative heat sources such as space heaters, fireplaces and other alternative sources.

Many fatal fires in Minnesota happen where people feel safest — warm and snug in their homes (like relaxing on New Year’s Day). Fire prevention and fire safety start at home with families, especially in winter. 

According to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), heating equipment is a leading cause of home fires in the United States, particularly during winter months. In Minnesota, most heating-related fires occur in fireplaces and chimneys.

Here are some tips to help prevent these fires in your home:

• Keep anything that can catch fire, such as furniture and blankets, at least three feet from portable heaters, fireplaces and furnaces. 
• Do not use space heaters to dry wet items, such as mittens or towels.
• Turn portable heaters off when leaving the room or going to sleep.
• Always plug space heaters directly into an outlet; never plug it into an extension cord or outlet strip. 
• Never use your oven to heat your home.
• Have your home heating system and chimney cleaned and inspected annually. 
• Make sure your wood stove is properly installed and ventilated.

In 2022, our State Fire Marshal division reported more than 300 structure fires were related to heating. 58 percent of those were caused by fireplaces or chimneys, resulting in $435,000 in damages. While just 6 percent were caused by portable heaters, those fires resulted in almost $2.5 million in damages.

Protect yourself, your family and your home by being extra careful with alternative heat sources this winter. Visit our State Fire Marshal website for more fire safety tips.