Just because it’s cold doesn’t mean fires can’t break out. We were able to see it this morning, when a building on Sherbrooke Street caught fire, despite a temperature of -27 degrees Celsius. Can we protect ourselves better? This is what Yasmine Abdelfadel asked the division chief of the Montreal Fire Department, Martin Guilbault.
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“There can be electrical failures, human errors that occur when people use point heating,” the specialist explained to QUB Radio.
Poorly insulated homes, heating systems that do not work properly, there are several good reasons for using auxiliary heating. Did you know that there are, however, some basic rules for using this device safely?
“We cannot use an auxiliary heating if we are not present in our accommodation”, mentioned Mr. Guilbault.
- Listen to Martin Guilbault on QUB radio:
Don’t leave the auxiliary heater on if you’re away, okay. But still ? Is it sufficient ? Apparently not. The division manager wanted to shed light on the type of sockets to be used to supply the auxiliary heating.
“It shouldn’t be hooked up to an extension cord,” he said.
He also advised users of this device to keep it “away from all combustibles”. Fabrics, curtains, sofas… Make sure you always respect safe distances between these objects and your heating!
Using camping equipment inside our home should be completely prohibited, also mentioned Mr. Guilbault.
“This equipment releases a lot of carbon monoxide,” explained the division manager.
Whether we need it to warm up or to cook, Martin Guilbault is of the opinion that we should rather opt for another solution.