Sanderson Street fire one of many this season

Thirty-one people have been left homeless in a rash of fires throughout the area since Christmas Day. This morning 13 more people were added to that list after some Sanderson Street residents woke up to find the three family home on fire just before 6:30 this morning.

"I woke up to my dog barking and then I came outside and the alarms went off. And in the kitchen the furnace was on fire," fire victim Coral Carattini said.

Carattini lives in the first floor apartment where the fire started. Officials tell CBS 3 Springfield the furnace duct work overheated, igniting the first story home and sending flames throughout the building.

"I could see them coming through my wall in the outside," second floor resident, Pedro Torres, said.

The fire was put out in just about 30 minutes. And although all the residents escaped they're now left homeless as the Red Cross assists in getting them shelter.

"This morning with the 13 we helped them meet their emergency housing needs. If they didn't have a place to stay we were able to find them lodging where they're safe and warm," Red Cross Director of Disaster Services, Mary Nathan, said.

According to Nathan, the winter months tend to be the most challenging.

"We're averaging about 100 fires a year and most of them are from Nov. 1 to March. It goes along the heating season," Nathan said.

But there are ways to make yourself safer during these cold months. Here's a list of safety tips courtesy of the Red Cross:

If you must use a space heater, place it on a level, hard and nonflammable surface (such as ceramic tile floor), not on rugs or carpets or near bedding or drapes. Keep children and pets away from space heaters.

Keep all potential sources of fuel like paper, clothing, bedding or rugs at least three feet away from space heaters, stoves, or fireplaces.

Portable heaters and fireplaces should never be left unattended. Turn off space heaters and make sure any embers in the fireplace are extinguished before going to bed or leaving home.

Never use a cooking range or oven to heat your home.

Keep fire in your fireplace by using a glass or metal fire screen large enough to catch sparks and rolling logs.

Never leave cooking food unattended.

Stay in the kitchen when you are frying, grilling, or broiling food. If you must leave the kitchen for even a short period of time, turn off the stove.

If you are simmering, baking, boiling, or roasting food, check it regularly, remain in the home while food is cooking, and use a timer to remind yourself that the stove or oven is on.

Avoid wearing loose clothing or dangling sleeves while cooking.

Keep kids away from cooking areas by enforcing a "kid-free zone" of three feet around the stove.

Keep anything that can catch on fire—pot holders, oven mitts, wooden utensils, paper or plastic bags, food packaging, and towels or curtains—away from your stove top and oven or any other appliance in the kitchen that generates heat.

Consider purchasing a fire extinguisher to keep in your kitchen. Contact your local fire department to take training on the proper use of extinguishers.

Always check the kitchen before going to bed or leaving the home to make sure all stoves, ovens, and small appliances are turned off.

Smoke alarms save lives. Install a smoke alarm near your kitchen, on each level of your home, near sleeping areas, and inside and outside bedrooms if you sleep with doors closed. Use the test button to check it each month. Replace all batteries at least once a year.

Remember that lit candles are fire. Keep them at least 12 inches from anything that can burn, such as curtains, bedding, mattresses, paper, books, flammable decorations, clothing, and upholstered furniture.

Always extinguish candles before leaving the room or going to bed. Do not leave a room before blowing out all candles.

Use candle holders that are sturdy, won't tip over easily, are made from a material that cannot burn, and are large enough to collect dripping wax.

Place candles where they cannot be reached or knocked over by pets and children.

During an emergency, always use flashlights and not candles as light sources.

Never leave a child unattended in a room with a candle. And keep all matches and lighters out of reach and out of site of children.

Visit www.redcross.org/homefires for more information on how to keep your home fire safe.

Tips like these could prevent you from losing your home to a devastating fire.