Rise in Boston Fires Due to Negligence
There have been a number of residential fires in Greater Boston this year that were reportedly caused by negligence. Boston Fire Department spokesperson Steve MacDonald advised, "Don't leave candles unattended, and portable heaters are not intended to be permanent sources of heat in a room. If you smoke, make sure you extinguish it properly. And if you're cooking, don't leave pots unattended. It's all common-sense things." When common-sense precaution isn't exercised, however, damages and personal injury may be incurred.
In the winter months heat is a hot commodity. One of the most cost-effective and popular ways to heat up a small space in your home or office is with a portable heater. Space heaters should not be used to exclusively or continuously warm a room. Running portable heaters for extended periods of time increases the potential for an electrical fire, by coming into contact with flammable objects, like bedding, curtains, and clothing, resulting in a premises liability case.
As the Boston Globe reported in the article, Number of house fires on rise in Jan, electrical fires are often fatal. Massachusetts Fire Marshal Stephen D. Coan added that fires are often caused by "space heaters and not taking the proper precautions. The majority of our residents don't believe they will be a victim of fire.''
