The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission is warning consumers about carbon monoxide hazards that occur especially with winter home heating products. According to this news alert issued by the CPSC this week, there have been more than 150 residential fires in the United States that resulted in more than 200 deaths just since Thanksgiving. Apparently, this has been the deadliest year in terms of residential fires in recent history!

The top cause of fires and carbon monoxide poisoning is home heating equipment, CPSC officials say. Between 2003 and 2005, there was an annual average of 57,300 fires and 270 fire fatalities associated with portable heaters, central heating systems, fireplaces and chimneys. There were also 68 deaths, on average, from carbon monoxide poisoning each year associated with these products.

We are barely through the first month of January and already there have been dozens of deaths from home fires. Among the reports of deadly fires in January were the death of a woman in Detroit caused by a malfunctioning space heater that was too close to a chair. In another incident, three people died in their Oklahoma home where space heaters and electric stoves were being used for heat.

Of course, there are instances when people do not use space heaters the way they are supposed to be used. However, many of these accidents occur because the space heaters are defective and malfunction as a result of a dangerous defect. More than 100 deaths a year in the United States may be attributed to unsafe or misused space heaters.