Holiday Fire Dangers

The holiday season is a great time for festivities and celebrations with friends and loved ones. Unfortunately, these celebrations can quickly turn to tragedy in the event of an accident such as a fire. Fires during the holidays claim more than 400 lives each year. Keep your loved ones safe this year by following some simple safety precautions to prevent fires:

Keep your holiday lights in working order. Whether using brand new lights or lights from previous years, check each strand for cracked or broken sockets, bare spots, frayed wires, insulation gaps, excessive wear, or kinks in the wire before installing them.
Do not overload sockets. Never link more than three light strands together unless the directions specifically indicate that this is a safe action. Lights should never get overly warm or hot to the touch. Periodically check your wires and unplug them if they are warm.
Never leave holiday lights on unattended. If you are leaving your home, turn off your holiday lights.
If using candles as holiday decorations, never leave them unattended while lit. Keep candles away from greenery or flammable decorations.
Only use non-flammable or fire resistant decorations. If choosing a Christmas tree or fresh greenery this season, make sure any plant is not overly dry, and keep it watered to prevent a fire hazard.
Never throw wrapping paper into a fireplace. Paper in a fireplace can result in very large fires that are difficult to control.
Keep smoke alarms in good working order. Check your smoke alarms and make sure the batteries are fresh.

Contact Us

If you or a loved one has been injured in a fire as a result of another party’s negligence, Cincinnati personal injury lawyer Shawn M. Stepleton can help. Contact his offices today at 513-321-7733 to schedule your consultation.