Since Saturday, Jan. 28, at least 2 Louisianans have died in a house fire due to improper use of portable heaters.  A disabled, elderly gentleman in Ponchatoula, MS died after his home caught fire when his heater was too close to curtains or bedding. His wife was unable to help him into his wheelchair fast enough before flames overtook the area. A second death on Monday involved an 8-year-old boy that had placed a heater too close to his bed. Both of these circumstances are extremely unfortunate, but they could have been prevented by following a few easy steps. The Louisiana State Fire Marshal’s Office says:

• Place space heaters 3-5 feet away from bedding & curtains.
• Plug space heaters directly into wall outlets
• Never leave space heaters or candles unattended.
• Have working smoke alarms and CO detectors.