With December being one of the deadliest months of the year for house fires, homeowners are urged to be extra careful when putting up Christmas tees or menorahs.
According to the Consumer Product Safety Commission, Christmas tree fires cause around 200 house fires each year. Fires caused by Christmas trees account for around 10 deaths and hundreds of injuries each year.
At the CPSC laboratory, experts showed what happens when a dry Christmas tree caught fire. Within seconds, the dried-out tree exploded like dry kindling and consumed the entire room within 90 seconds.
"A tree can unfortunately dry out in a day or two and can become a very serious fire hazard," said Bob Adler of the CPSC.
Doctors at the Shriners Hospital for Children said hundreds of children are taken to the hospital during the holidays each year because of burns. The injuries are often severe and require months of hospitalization and several surgeries.
Experts recommend watering Christmas trees daily and keeping them at least 3 feet away from any fire source. Strings of tree lights and wires should be inspected for any problems.
Christmas trees should always be bought fresh and the needles checked to make sure they are not brittle, which means the tree is dried out. Candles and menorahs should never be left unattended.
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