Portable heaters behind recent Chilliwack fires

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Posted February 19, 2019 9:04 pm.

This article is more than 5 years old.

CHILLIWACK (NEWS 1130) – Portable heaters can make your home nice and toasty during the winter months, but the Chilliwack Fire Department says the devices are behind at least four fires in the city over the past week.

Assistant Fire Chief Andrew Brown says you should keep an eye on heaters and make sure they aren’t next to any flammable or combustible material.

“We also recommend people don’t leave heaters unattended where pets [are],” he says. “A lot of people are using them for barns. They’ve just got to watch where the livestock is and make sure that the livestock can’t bump the heaters and knock them over.”

Brown says the fires were all minor with no injuries, but it’s just a matter of time before something worse happens.

“We want to make sure that people stay safe and that they enjoy the warmth without getting hurt or injured.”

Brown says you should never leave your heaters alone, and make sure they aren’t near anything that can catch on fire.

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