As temperatures drop, many people turn to space heaters—but using them incorrectly can be deadly. Fire departments have long warned never to plug a space heater into a power strip or extension cord, as they can’t handle the high electrical load and may overheat or catch fire.
Firefighters report numerous house fires caused by space heaters, which can reach 500–600°F, especially when left unattended or placed too close to furniture. According to the NFPA, heating equipment caused about 56,000 U.S. home fires from 2009–2013, with space heaters responsible for two out of five.
Safety experts stress: always plug heaters directly into a wall outlet, keep at least three feet of clearance, turn them off when leaving the room or sleeping, and make sure smoke alarms are working. A few simple precautions can prevent a tragic winter fire.