State Fire Marshal Urges Space Heater Safety

With the most frigid temperatures yet this season arriving later in the week, Missouri State Fire Marshal Time Bean is urging extra caution when it comes to heating homes.

According to Bean, space heaters are only designed to heat limited spaces to supplement primary heating sources and need to be turned off when leaving the room or going to bed.

Anything that can be burned needs to be kept at least three feet away from heating equipment and make sure your home has working smoke detectors and carbon monoxide alarms.

In February of 2015 when temperatures plummeted in Missouri, space heaters and supplemental heating sources were suspected in 7 deaths and 6 injuries statewide in less than a week.