On Sunday evening, a five-month-old baby was found dead in a room at Pandu Bazar Height in Suryabinayak Municipality, Bhaktapur.

According to the District Police Range Bhaktapur, the baby was found dead in a room when the baby’s mother Sarmila Moktan, 37, had gone to buy vegetables at a nearby shop, keeping the electric heater on.

“When police reached the place, they found the sofa in the room was burnt and the baby dead,” said Deputy Superintendent Raju Pandey, who is also a spokesperson at the police range.

“By the time the police reached the site, locals had already doused the fire,” said Pandey.

He, however, said it was the first case of burns in the district, after the winter season started this year.

In a bid to avoid fire-related accidents at home during the winter season, the District Police Range Kathmandu has requested the residents to be alert and take special precautions while taking the warmth from electric heaters, kerosene heaters, coil heaters, and firewood.

According to the District Police Range, Kathmandu, last year, five people lost their lives and a dozen were injured in fire-related accidents in the district.

“Although there have not been any fire-related deaths in the district, it's a very serious issue which everyone should pay heed to,” said Superintendent of Police Dinesh Raj Mainali, also the spokesperson at the police range.

He said the police have already started a campaign to make people aware of such incidents.

“During winter, many such fire-related accidents occur and their cause normally is negligence and lack of awareness,” said Mainali.

Last year, on December 25, Nima Chaudhari, 21, died in her room after she slept burning wood charcoal on a clay pot inside her room in Bansbari. Chaudhari was originally from Tulsipur Sub-metropolitan City -10.

Meanwhile, on December 20 last year, Sushil Sahani, 18, fainted in the hostel bathroom at Bagbazar while taking a shower from a gas [LPG] geyser. Sahani fainted and breathed his last at the Kathmandu Model Hospital at Pradarshani Marg.

“There were five such deaths, and those were very tragic incidents, and people should be extra alert. These messages should be disseminated across the country,” said Mainali.

The Kathmandu police range has requested the public to be extra careful while using electrical heaters to warm the room, and not to sleep burning wood charcoal in a closed room. It has also requested the public to make sure that the heaters have been turned off or woodfire has been doused before they leave their home.

Burning wood or coal inside a closed room is dangerous as the fire produces carbon monoxide, a toxic gas, and if there is not enough ventilation then it can kill those in the room within a few minutes.

“The risk of asphyxia (death in lack of oxygen) is high when using a gas heater. LPG gas fire produces carbon monoxide,” said Hemanta Joshi, chief-coordinator at Phect (Public Health Concern Trust), Nepal Kirtipur Hospital.

The hospital has 30 beds for burn victims, and during the winter they all get occupied.

Padma Sobha Maharjan, who keeps the record of burn patients at Kirtipur Hospital said that compared to Kathmandu, mostly people from the Tarai come with burn-related injuries.

“Most such patients are women and elderly. They suffer burns while taking the warmth from burning logs, coal or wood charcoal,” said Maharjan. She said mainly the women get injured because the sari they wear can easily catch fire.

The hospital’s record shows that compared to last year, the number of burn patients has come down.

According to Maharjan, last year during November and December, the hospital had admitted 125 patients coming for burn treatments, mostly from the Tarai. And the hospital’s data this year shows that only 90 patients were admitted in the last two months (November and December).

Doctors say heaters (electric, gas, wood, coal) cause dryness in the skin and irritation in the eyes, and advise the public to open their windows, and keep a mug full of water nearby to maintain the moisture, while using heating equipment.