The Moncton Fire Department is reminding residents that space heaters can be dangerous and that they need to consider how they use them.
Last year, 11 house fires in Greater Moncton were caused by the appliances.
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Charles Leblanc, Moncton’s Fire Marshall, says that no one was killed by the blazes but that everyone needs to be careful and that a space heater shouldn’t be used a main heat source.
“They are for temporary use only. As soon as you plug it into an outlet it basically maxes out that outlet,” he said adding that if you’re not careful the heater can cause a circuit to overload and an electrical fire to begin.
Fire Forensic Investigator Charles Leblanc, no relation, says many people use the heaters hoping to lower their heating bills.
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What they don’t realize is that the units are not built for long-term use.
“It should not be plugged into an extension cord or even a bus bar. It should be plugged directly into the wall plug itself,” he said.
Investigator Leblanc says that most of the fires last winter were caused by people placing flammables too close to the heating unit or leaving the heaters unattended.
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