Definitely don't microwave your face masks, Ontario officials warn amid fire deaths

Ontario'sfiremarshal says there's been an increase infiredeaths this year as COVID-19 measures force many people to stay homeand do more home cooking.

Jon Pegg says there have been 51firefatalities between Jan. 1and May 4, a 65 per cent increase over the same time period last year. He says 17 Ontarians have died infires this past March alone.

Firemarshal office spokesman Ryan Betts says it wasn't clear howmany deaths occurred in homes and how many were due to cookingbut says unattended cooking is the leading cause of homefires.

He adds that "we do know more people are staying at home thesedays and therefore the potential is greater for things like cookingfires and smoking."

Thefiremarshal is also warning people not to use a microwave to sterilize face masks or other personal protective equipment. Pegg says microwave ovens are not designed to heat cloth materials, so there is a risk of the mask overheating and catchingfire.

Asked at a news conference Tuesday how people should clean their masks, Ontario's associate medical officer of health Dr. Barbara Yaffe responded washing is best.

"If we're talking cloth masks, every time you use it you should wash it, launder it in hot water regular laundry. Definitely don't put it in the microwave. That's a fire hazard," she said.

Betts says he is not aware of anyfires caused by microwaves andmasks inOntario, but says it has been an issue in the United States and United Kingdom.