Is your garage fire-safe?

When you think of home fire safety, you might not think of your garage – but you should. According to the U.S. Fire Administration, 6,600 home garage fires result in 30 deaths and 400 injuries each year.

Data from the USFA shows that electrical malfunction is the leading cause of garage fires. These fires can be sparked by shorts in wires, damaged wires and overloaded electrical outlets.

To help keep your garage fire-safe:

• Store oil, gasoline, paint, propane and varnishes in a shed away from your house – not in your garage.
• Keep flammable items up on shelves, away from appliances.
• Plug only one appliance into an outlet at a time, and don’t use extension cords when charging an appliance.