Michigan fire officials share home heating mistakes to avoid this winter
When temperatures plummet, people will do anything to stay warm in their homes, but oftentimes, that comes at a risk.
This week alone, Southfield fire crews have battled three fires. One of those fires was deadly, and on Thursday, another blaze led to 27 people being displaced from their apartments.
"Right now, all three are under investigation still. However, I do know when it's this cold outside, people do take measures to stay warm," said Southfield Fire Chief Joey Thorington.
Thorington says throughout his decades-long career, he's witnessed folks make avoidable heating mistakes in the winter that have cost them their homes, or worse, their life.
"A lot of times, people will use the stove. They'll turn on the burners, open up the oven, and put it on full blast. It's not safe. It can cause a fire," Thorington said.
Another culprit is outdoor heaters used inside, but even more dangerous are space heaters.
"Space heaters, people use extension cords, and those cords heat up over time and cause electrical fires," said Thorington.
A lack of working smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors are two lifesaving devices that the fire chief says are often ignored.
"They're two things that are pretty simple, and they save lives, but they're also easily overlooked. Most fatality fires we go to, people do not have working smoke alarms," Thorington said.
Thorington says that these mistakes are unfortunately common this time of year, but can be prevented.
"You're trying to stay warm, and you do what you can, but we just ask that you do it as safely as possible," said Thorington.
Lastly, the fire chief recommends that if you're in need of heat, contact your utility company or any local programs that could help connect you to those resources.