Fatal Fire Brings Reminders About Space Heater Safety

Funeral services are set for today for two women killed in a house fire in Stephens County last week.

Services for 67-year-old Gwendolyn Hallford Bohannon and 39-year-old Amy Diane Bohannon are scheduled for 2 p.m. today at the Toccoa Assembly of God.

The two women were killed in a mobile home fire last Friday evening on Linda Drive, just off of Rose Lane.

According to state investigators, the fire was the result of an electric space heater being placed too close to a sofa.
State Fire Marshal Dwayne Garriss said space heater accidents are one of the two main causes of house fires in the state of Georgia, with the other cause being unattended cooking fires.

Garriss said events this like serve as a tragic reminder to make sure that space heaters are used properly and safely.

He said people using space heaters need to remember some important safety tips.

“They need space,” said Garriss. “People need to keep things about three feet from the heating equipment itself. If they use space heaters, they need to be one that is tested and is labeled by a nationally recognized testing laboratory. They need to have an automatic shut-off on them so that if they tip over, they automatically cut off.”

Garriss went on to say that there is one type of space heater that they feel is safer to use than others if people are going to use one.

“The ones that are the ceramic disk type heaters are a little safer because they do not have the glowing red element,” he said. “They need to have them on a solid, flat surface and plugged up directly. Do not use extension cords. It is better to have one with a plug directly into the house utility itself.”

Garriss also reminded people to make sure they have at least one, if not more than one, working smoke detector in their home.