VIDEO: A small device costing less than $10 could save lives and protect homes from devastating fires, according to Ohio fire officials.
Thermal fuses are being promoted by the state fire marshal’s office as a way to reduce the number of deadly fires caused by people smoking while on oxygen.
In Ohio, smoking-related fires were the leading cause of fire deaths in 2020-2022, and 40% of those deaths involved oxygen users.
Anita Metheny, fire prevention bureau chief for the Division of State Fire Marshal, explained the dangers. “Once that catches fire, it burns straight down the tubing,” Metheny said. “That fire now follows the flow of oxygen because it’s hyper-oxygenated all the way to their oxygen machine, which basically starts fire throughout the entire house.”
Thermal fuses can prevent this from happening.