“Never Leave Candles Unattended,” Home Insurance Customers Urged
Home emergency cover customers have been warned to never light candles and then leave them unattended.Speaking to the Sentinel, Keith Stubbs, the manager of Newcastle Fire Station, also said such decorations should be kept in proper holders and not just left to stand on top of other surfaces.He made his comments after a family escaped from a blazing property in Knutton.Mr Stubbs explained a candle had been lit in the home and the residents had fallen asleep, adding it was “lucky” the house had fire alarms installed.Fire risks associated with leaving a candle burning have been stressed to home insurance policy holders after three people escaped a house that was filled with smoke.The Echo reported how the house had to be ventilated by firefighters after a candle burned down to its holder, filling the place with smoke while a woman and two children slept.One member of the family woke up in time, enabling all of them to escape their house in Canvey.The government’s Fire Kills campaign gives information on how to use candles safely.People are advised to extinguish them when they leave the room and not place them near items such as cards that may catch fire.It is also dangerous to put candles on a Christmas tree.Fairy lights are another hazard and should not be left plugged in when the occupants leave or retire to bed.They can also cause material such as paper to catch fire.
