CHICOPEE, Mass. (WWLP) – Half of all fires happen at night and in 2021, 80% of fire-related deaths occurred in the home, according to Mass.gov.

The top home fire causes, according to the National Fire Prevention Association, are heating, cooking, electrical, smoking, and candles.

There are some pre-emptive safety precautions home owners can use to stay safe. The Massachusetts Department of Fire Services said closing the door to the bedroom before bed can reduce the risk of carbon monoxide poisoning to 1/10 of the levels in an active fire, and reduce the temperature from 1,000 degrees to 100 degrees.

The Fire Safety Research Institute is run by Underwriters Laboratories, a non-profit that works to create safer living environments through scientific discovery and application. The institute found that something as simple as closing the door before bed can save lives in the event of a fire. That discovery launched the Close Before You Doze campaign, working to spread the message that a simple life change can mean the difference between life and death in a fire.

Close Before You Doze has a video warning home owners of just how fast smoke spreads to a room that isn’t blocked off by a closed door. Smoke fumes, according to Close Before You Doze, spread from the top down within minutes and can have a disorienting effect or can even burn lungs. Smoke is deadly, and not only causing a blinding effect, but can kill. Smoke inhalation is the leading cause of death, according to this video.