ESCANABA -- The cold winter months drive many people indoors, and that increases the risk of electrical fire hazards at home. Some are found in the kitchen, the bathroom, and the dryer.
Kobas Electric President, Randy Godlewski, said, "It’s a lint buildup and there's heat in the dryer and it hits the fabric in the dryer, and it's almost like dust or something in the air."
Electrical fires can be easily prevented. The most common advice is: don't overload your electrical circuits. Another rule of thumb is to unplug portable space heaters if you use them. Always use the proper fuses in your home, and if in doubt, call an electrician.
"Make sure that all your electrical work is done by a licensed professional," said Escanaba Public Safety Lieutenant, Jaime Segorski, who added, "We see a lot of electrical fires are caused by do-it-yourselfers that don't necessarily get it grounded or routed the proper way."
Segorski said that combating electrical fires is an especially difficult task for firefighters since they need to be handled differently than regular fires.
Segorski pointed out, "The thing that you're looking for when you respond to an electrical fire is that typically it's going to be in an attic or inside a wall, so it may be a little more labor intensive to find or put it out."
Winter months are the most dangerous months for electrical fires because of an increase in lighting, heating, and appliance use. Never use water to put out an electrical fire because water conducts electricity. Instead, use a "C" class fire extinguisher, which is safe for this type of fire.
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