Space heater blamed in Morgan County fatal fire

MADISON, Ga. (AP) Investigators say a space heater appears to be to blame for a fire that killed a Morgan County man on Christmas morning. <br /> <br /> The office of Georgia Insurance and Fire Commissioner Ralph Hudgens says that 54-year-old James White died in the fire that began at his home about 2 a.m. Thursday. The blaze destroyed the residence in Madison, about 30 miles south of Athens. <br /> <br /> An initial investigation found that the fire started near a space heater. <br /> <br /> The National Fire Protection Association's most recent estimates say that heating equipment contributes to more than 53,000 home fires each year, with 400 deaths. <br /> <br /> Space heaters are estimated to account for about a third of home fires and four out of five fatalities.

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