LANSING, Mich. — When the temperatures drop down below zero, the fire marshal says crews respond to more house fires.
That's when people typically use other forms of heat like space heaters to keep their homes warm.
The extra warmth comes with some potential risks involved, though.
FOX 47 News talked with the state fire marshal about it.
He says any kind of heating device should be at least 3 feet away from anything that could catch fire, like furnishings, furniture and bedding.
"Every year we respond to tragic fires in Michigan because space heaters were used to help keep people warm," said Fire Marshal Kevin Sehlmeyer.
The fire marshal recommends turning off space heaters before going to sleep to prevent accidentally kicking blankets off yourself and onto your heater.
He also says space heaters should never be plugged into an extension cord because the heaters cause extension cords to warm up, which can also cause fires.
