Busy Mums

Fire Safety Tips and candles

Yesterday I wrote about the near shave our family had last weekend, when a candle which we thought had been put out, smouldered all night and then caught fire to the dried flower arrangement it was attached to.

I would consider myself as fairly safety conscious - and one of the things which I want to do with my website, http://www.helpforbusymums.com
was to provide a resource for busy mums to help them save time, and provide them with "sound bites of info" from the media, books and other mums. Today this is what I am going to attempt to do.

You are probably thinking by now I have gone off the point. What I am getting round to talking about is a item which appeared on the Jeremy Vine show, on Radio 2, I think before Christmas. It was about candles and nightlights.


There was someone representing the fire service talking and highlighting the dangers. I certainly learnt a few things.

He talked about nightlights and how if wrongly displayed, they are a serious fire hazard.

The problem he explained is that because the nightlight is contained in a thin metal casing, people assume that the casing is there for safety and to contain the flame, whereas in actual fact it is just to hold the candle wax.

It is not uncommon for nightlights to be placed directly on to surfaces, which are not fire resistant.

In a way you can understand the trap people fall into (and we did as well). Candles and night lights look very pretty.

He mentioned some occasions which he had witnessed as a fireman when peoples homes have been wrecked.

Candles and nightlights placed on televisions, mantelpieces, furniture and window sills all had resulted in serious fires.

There was also something which he mentioned ( and I may not have the terminology quite right ) a double burn. This is when the candle/nightlight has two flames, often when the candle has burned away so the wax and the wick are alight. This results in twice the heat, twice the danger - which I had never realised.

After some minutes of discussion the phone lines were opened up and there were several very scary calls from people who had got into trouble with candles and nightlights.

The one which sticks in my mind is a lady who telephoned in about her aunt who had put some candles or nightlights around her bath one evening. She thought she had blown them out. However, one may not have quite gone out and re-lit.

It then smouldered away through the night, until it eventually started burning her bath - which was made out of plastic. The fumes themselves were dangerous. By the time this ladies aunt had realised what was happening there was an explosion, caused I guess, by the substances on fire and probably other stuff like bleach, which we tend to keep in the bathroom. Amazingly the aunt survived.

A very scary story.

So without wishing to destroy those candlelit baths and romantic evenings in candlelight. Do be really careful.

Now I am going to make another call to the loss adjuster who is meant to be calling round to assess the damage to our lounge.

By the way if you have any stories, articles or info you think would be useful to busy mums then do drop by to my website http://www.helpforbusymums.com

Labels: fire hazzard, fire safety tips, safety tips

posted by Diana and Steve @ 09:26