Be careful with heaters - WALB.com, Albany News, Weather, Sports

Be careful with heaters

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By Jim Wallace - bio | email

ALBANY, GA (WALB) –  With the below normal temperatures forecast for the rest of the week, firefighters are urging people to use common sense while trying to stay warm.

They say if you use space heaters for your primary source of heat... Be aware that overusing them could start a fire. Space heaters are not made to run for a prolonged period of time.

If you use an extension cord to place them around your home, firefighters say running them for days at a time could overheat those cords and spark a blaze.  

"If you are using a space heater, be careful not to put any combustibles around it," said Albany Fire Chief James Carswell. "Maintain at least a three feet area around it. By all means turn it off occasionally, and let it cool down. And never go to sleep with a space heater on."

There have been 51 fire fatalities across the country in the last ten days, and heaters were involved in the majority of them.

Albany Firefighters urge you to be cautious so you don't become a statistic.

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