Holiday Hazards: What to look out for while decorating - KFVS12 News & Weather Cape Girardeau, Carbondale, Poplar Bluff

The holidays can easily bring trouble if you aren't careful.

The Consumer Product Safety Commission says each holiday season, thousands of people are hurt, dozens die and millions of dollars in property are lost as a result of falls, fires and other incidents associated with holiday decorations.

The CPSC demonstrated how your home can be engulfed in flames in a matter of seconds.

Experts advise consumers to add safety to their holiday list.

They say keep those trees away from the fire place, space heaters and radiators.

Also, when purchasing a live tree check for freshness. The needles won't break in your hand or between your fingers if it's fresh. And when you tap the tree on the ground, you shouldn't lose needles.

"For holiday lights you want to make sure your lights bear the mark of a recognized testing laboratory like the underwriters laboratories so that you can be sure they meet current safety standards. however, we are seeing more and more counterfeit lights come through our stores so be sure that you check the lights to make sure these lights are safe because they may have a counterfeit label," Consumer Product Safety Commission Chair Inez Tenenbaum said.

Check each set of lights for broken or cracked sockets. Look for any frayed wires or loose connections. Remember to keep your Christmas tree stand filled with water. Make sure your smoke detectors are working properly.

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