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Show Be Careful ... Season Leads fo Accidents Tis the season to be careful, as well as jolly! Making things merry for Christmas can also increase the risk of fire and accidents in the home, cautions the Insurance In-surance Information Institute. In-stitute. Christmas trees, lights, candles, gift-wrappings - all part of the Yule spirit - can pose special safety hazards, the Institute stressed. To Underline the potential danger, the Institute noted that last vpar 25.R00 nersons no loose connections. -Avoid overloading electric outlets and use approved fuses only. --Never leave tree lights on when you leave the house or retire for the evening. -Keep candles away from flammable materials and out of the reach of children. -Equip fireplaces with a sturdy metal screen which fits securely into place. Make sure that mantle decorations are a safe distance from the flame. After Christmas presents are opened, do not burn the wrappings in the fireplace. As an additional reminder for the holiday season, the Institute urges shoppers to lock packages in the trunk of their car. Packages left on the seats and floor are visible targets for thieves. As always, whenever yoi leave you car - even if it wil be only for a few moments -remember to lock the vehicle. died as a result of accidents in the home and one out of every 53 persons in the nation sustained disabling injuries in-juries from such mishaps. Fire was the leading cause of residential accident deaths in 1975, the Institute reported. repor-ted. "It is clear that the Christmas season, which brings home decorating and other spirited activities to the home, is an important time of the year to be safety conscious," con-scious," said the Institute. The Institute offers the following suggestions to help minimize potential fire hazards hazar-ds associated with the holiday season: -Make sure the Christmas tree is positioned away from heating units and fireplaces. In addition, do not block doorways or other means of exit with the tree. -Place the tree in a stand which has a water container, and remember to keep the container filled. Keep the tree indoors only as long as necessary. -Check strings of lights before they are put on the tree to make sure that wires are not frayed and there are |