Louisiana state fire marshal urges caution in wake of 10 fatal fires in less than 6 weeks

SHREVEPORT, La. (KSLA) — Louisiana has now recorded 10 fire fatalities in 2021. Just within the past 24 hours, fire has claimed the lives of three people.

Two men died in a house fire Wednesday morning in Cotton Valley. Deputy fire marshals still are investigating the cause, but they believe a wood stove was a factor.

Later in the day, a different fire claimed the life of a person in the Hammond area of Louisiana.

Space heaters, wood stoves and other appliances are the leading causes of fires in the winter, Louisiana Fire Marshal H. “Butch” Browning said.

He advised people to use caution when using these appliances and to follow these rules:

• Use a modern-day heater with a tip-overtip-off and overheating device. This will shut the space heater off if it tips over or overheats.
• Make sure the heater is three to five feet from anything. This will prevent the heater from catching something on fire.
• Do not plug the heater into an extension cord; it needs to be plugged into an outlet.
• Never use a stove as a heater; this is not how it is supposed to be used.

Browning also asked that people ensure their home electrical grids are up to standard.

Check the breaker box to make sure it is still working correctly. If your grid or breaker box isn’t working correctly, he said, people should contact a professional electrician.

Click here to learn more about how to properly use a space heater.

RELATED: 2 people dead in Cotton Valley fire

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