By Mike Williams
Gloucester County Times
MILLVILLE, N.J. — The holidays are supposed to be a time of joy and happiness, meant for quality time with loved ones and warm family dinners. Unfortunately for some they can also be a time of tragedy.
A spark ignited a Millville family’s Christmas tree Sunday, causing serious smoke and heat damage to the home on Crescent Avenue. Though no one was injured in the fire, the incident reveals the importance of fire safety during the holidays.
According to the United States Fire Administration, Christmas trees alone account for about 200 fires annually, resulting in an average of six deaths, 25 injuries and $6 million in property damage per year. A burning tree can rapidly fill a room with fire and deadly gas, making tree fire safety essential for the home.
Dr. Robert Fleming, a professor of management at Rowan University and a nationally recognized authority on fire and emergency preparedness, offers a number of tips for safety during the holidays.
Tree fire safety begins with selecting the right Christmas tree, said Fleming. Choose a freshly cut tree with strong green needles. A tree that is dried out and shedding needles is a fire hazard and should not be in the home.
Placement of a tree is also very important. Fleming advises to keep trees and other decorations away from heat sources such as heat vents and fireplaces. Heat will dry out a tree, making it more susceptible to ignition.
A dry tree with brittle needles should be removed from the home before it has a chance to catch fire. Fleming recommends taking down the Christmas tree after two weeks. The longer a tree is left up, the drier it gets and the more of a fire hazard it becomes.
“If the tree is starting to brown and the needles are falling off, we recommend to get it out right away because that’s a fire hazard,” said Gloucester County Fire Marshal Ed Johnson. “You should also cut an inch or two off the bottom of your tree ... to help water absorb up into the tree.”
Johnson also recommends limiting the number of lights on a tree and unplugging them before going to bed.
Holiday lights can also become a safety issue. Before installing your lights, make sure the lights are labeled for outdoor use and inspect the wires for frayed or bare spots. Avoid overloading the electrical circuits by limiting the number of lights per circuit.
With holiday related fires - including lights, trees and decorations - causing about $990 million worth of property damage per year, it seems inevitable that accidents will happen.
“If you do have a fire, call 911 right away,” said Johnson. “If you decide to try to fight the fire, make sure you have a door behind you. You always want to have an exit if it gets out of control.”
Some other safety tips from the Washington Township Fire Department:
Do not run extension cords under rugs or carpet
Clean your oven before cooking and do not leave food unattended
Keep your chimney clean and have it inspected annually
Change the batteries in your smoke detector. You should have a working smoke detector on every floor.
Copyright 2009 Gloucester County Times