SERIES: Heating sources could cause fire or CO poisoning
by Megan Rinerson, WJON.com

UNDATED -- Almost 700 people were killed in the nation, in 2006, from house fires caused by heating equipment.

This week is Fire Prevention Week, and today we are looking at the second leading cause of home fires, heating equiptment. Fires caused by a fireplace or furnace can be prevented by keeping things that can burn like clothing, bedding and upholstered furniture away. 

Brenda Lodemeier is the Assistant Fire Marshal at the St. Cloud Fire Department. She says you can prevent fires and carbon monoxide poisoning by placing detectors throughout your home.

Lodemeier says a new state law went into effect this summer, which requires all homes with gas appliances to have carbon monoxide detectors.

Last week, authorities said two men and a teenager died from carbon monoxide poisoning from a gas generator they were running inside a home in north Minneapolis.  Lodemeier says generators shouldn't be used inside a home or structure.

Tomorrow, we'll talk about the leading cause of fires in our area… smoking materials like cigarettes.