News 12 @ 11, December 1, 2008

AUGUSTA, Ga.-- It's something used to heat your home and keep you warm, but it can also cause a fire.

"Just be safe as much as you can. Be safe as much as you can," Robert Leverett said.

Augusta Firefighters say this fire on Milledgeville Road Monday was caused by a space heater.

Each time the temperature drops, fire investigators say they see an increase in space heater fires.

Firefighters say do not place a space heater on an extension chord, and keep them away from curtains and bed spreads. Finally, do not leave a space heater unattended.

Firefighters say electric blankets are a good alternative to stay warm at night but they warn you not to leave them unattended, and do not place them on a bed where a child can walk or play on them, which will break the electrical connections inside the blanket. So if you're not using the electrical blanket, put it away.

"We normally see an increase in a cold snap in the weather. Once again, you'll see people lighting those space heaters or plugging the electrical space heaters in to compensate for the fuel bill," Lt. Neal Brown said.

But whether you're tying to save money or not, firefighters want you to be careful so you don't lose your house or your life.

"Everything that we use we use safety precautions. Like this one, like I said it's been used all the time. For years and years we've all been warming in the den by that heater. And things happen," Paul Hull said.

This past week, fire investigators were called to a fire on Blanchard Road in Augusta. They say the homeowner had the oven door open and all four stove burners on to heat the house. Firefighters say usually the burners get so hot they catch the cabinets on fire.