About 90 persons died in estimated 2,300 residential kerosene heater related fires every year.
"Flare-up" fires are responsible for the majority of kerosene heater fires. An analysis of kerosene related accidents concluded that flare-up (uncontrolled flaming occurs as a result of several factors, including the use of improper or contaminated fuels.) That investigation concluded that one method for substantially reducing the risk of flare-up is for consumers to make sure they use only 1K kerosene as a fuel-never gasoline or non-kerosene fuels.
Pollutants
In addition, kerosene heaters can emit air pollutants during operation. In an enclosed room, these pollutants can accumulate and prove harmful. This situation can be aggravated if the heater wick is lowered beyond the manufacturer's recommended setting. Therefore, before using a kerosene heater, people need to set the wick at the recommended height and make sure there is adequate ventilation.