5 people lost their lives due to using room heaters, are you also making this mistake?

Health Tips: Five members of a family, including three children, in Pandrethan, Srinagar died of C due to improper use of heating appliances ...Read more.

Srinagar: Recently, a tragic incident took place in Pandrethan near Srinagar, where five members of a family, including three children, were found dead due to suspected suffocation. A preliminary investigation of this case has revealed that this accident may have happened due to the wrong use of heating equipment. Let us tell you that this incident has forced everyone to think about whether we are using our heating equipment in the right way. So let us

know some precautions to avoid such an incident…

Understand the danger

: Heating equipment, especially those that rely on combustion, can produce carbon monoxide (CO). This gas is odourless and colourless, but extremely dangerous. Inadequate ventilation or equipment malfunction can cause CO to accumulate indoors, causing headaches, dizziness, and in severe cases, death.

Precautionary measures to be taken

1. Proper ventilation: Maintain fresh air flow in rooms with heating appliances to prevent CO accumulation.

2. Regular maintenance: Get the heating system, including the chimney and flue, checked and cleaned every year so that any faults can be rectified in time.

3. Install CO detectors: Install carbon monoxide detectors in bedrooms and near fuel-burning appliances. It monitors CO levels and alerts about dangers.

4. Use space heaters safely: Keep heaters at least three feet away from flammable objects such as furniture, curtains and bedding. Always place heaters on a flat and stable surface so that they do not tip over. Never leave heaters on unattended or while sleeping.

5. Do not use outdoor equipment indoors: Do not use outdoor equipment such as barbecues, or generators indoors, as they can produce CO.

Let us tell you that the government often issues guidelines for the safe use of heating devices in winter. By following these, the risk of accidents can be reduced to a great extent. For example, the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) suggests not keeping flammable items near heating devices and turning off portable heaters when leaving the room.

PC:News18Rajasthan