ERIE, Pa., Jan. 4, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Following up on its
public service announcement video demonstrating the fire danger
posed by real Christmas trees, Erie Insurance is now urging
consumers who haven't yet disposed of their Christmas trees to do
so as soon as possible to avoid a major catastrophe.
According to the National Fire Protection Association, four in
10 (40 percent) of home fires ignited by Christmas trees happen in
January. What's worse, those fires are much more deadly than
average. NFPA statistics show that one of every 40 house fires that
start from Christmas trees result in a death, compared with one
death per 142 of all reported home structure fires.
"Many people love their Christmas decorations and choose to
leave them up for a few weeks after the holiday, but when it comes
to a dried-out live Christmas tree, that's a dangerous risk to
take," said Gary Sullivan, vice
president of property and subrogation claims, Erie Insurance. "We
want families to enjoy the post-holiday season safely; we don't
want them to be displaced from their homes due to a fire, or even
worse, caught in a life-threatening situation."
Prior to Christmas, Erie Insurance teamed up with the
Erie, Pa., Fire Department to
stage a fire in a vacant home which showed how a Christmas tree
fire can fill a room with toxic smoke in just 30 seconds and burn
down an entire living room in one minute.
Recent national reporting done by NFPA showed Christmas trees
resulted in an annual average of seven civilian fire deaths, 19
civilian fire injuries and $17.5
million in direct property damage during a four-year
period.
When people do dispose of their trees, both NFPA and The
National Christmas Tree Association recommend recycling the tree,
either through a local curbside pickup recycling program or by
taking it to a drop-off recycling center. The National Christmas
Tree Association also offers these additional tips for reusing and
recycling Christmas trees.
About Erie Insurance
According to A.M. Best Company, Erie Insurance Group, based in
Erie, Pennsylvania, is the 10th
largest homeowners insurer and 12th largest automobile insurer in
the United States based on direct
premiums written and the 15th largest property/casualty insurer in
the United States based on total
lines net premium written. The Group, rated A+ (Superior) by A.M.
Best Company, has more than 5 million policies in force and
operates in 12 states and the District of
Columbia. Erie Insurance Group is a FORTUNE 500 company.
News releases and more information about Erie Insurance Group
are available at www.erieinsurance.com.
Tweetable Highlights
- .@erie_insurance says throw out your Christmas tree, now! 40%
of Xmas tree fires happen in January Share
- .@erie_insurance video shows Christmas tree fire can burn down
an entire living room in under five minutes Share
(ERIE-G)
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SOURCE Erie Insurance