Municipal Office


Use of gas fireplaces is becoming a popular alternative to traditional wood-burning fireplaces, especially in newer homes. But gas fireplaces get hot quickly and hot temperatures burn children fast. Every year children are burned from contact with the glass barrier in the front of a gas fireplace. Statistics show that contact burns are the second leading cause of burns in children. It takes just two seconds to be seriously burned! Many children have been burned while parents are in the room. It takes an average of 45 minutes for the fireplace to cool to a safe temperature after a fire has been extinguished.

To keep your child safe around gas fireplaces:

  • Never leave a young child alone near a gas fireplace. They can be burned before, during and after use of the fireplace.
  • Create a barrier around the gas fireplace to keep your child at a safe distance at all times.
  • Teach children about the dangers of fire