Federal safety regulators have opened an investigation into whether a defective space heater was to blame for a fire in the Bronx on Sunday that killed at least 19 people.
The CPSC is responsible for regulating safety in 15,000 everyday products and has the power to order dangerous products pulled off the market and penalize manufacturers.The fire risk from space heaters — even when in good working order — has worried safety regulators for decades, leading to tougher standards and a public education campaign.
Each year, portable space heaters are blamed for an estimated 1,700 residential fires and 80 deaths, according to a CPSCAn automatic tip-over switch has been required on portable electric and kerosene heaters since at least 2002, along with additional protection around the heating coils to prevent fires.have emphasized the importance of keeping space heaters three feet from flammable materials, such as drapes and bedding. The use of extension cords is also discouraged.
. In one case, a one-year-old boy died in his crib after a portable heater was left running in his room, heating it to 97 degrees.Voluntary industry standards limit the maximum temperature for space heaters to 117 degrees — which is designed to prevent nearby items from catching fire.
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