16 October 2012
Fire fighters were called to a bedroom fire in a house in La Moye last night (Thursday 15 October) to rescue a man who was still inside the property.
Four fire fighters entered the house and found the man to be safe and well. The crews quickly put out the fire, which is thought to have been started by a candle.
Crew Manager, Craig Channing said "The dangers of leaving unattended candles are evident at this incident. The fire damage to the property was contained to the one room due to the fact that a good working smoke alarm raised the alarm and the occupier kept the door to the fire compartment shut as they made their way out of the building."
He’s urging the public to follow basic safety guidelines when using candles in the home:
- keep them away from draughts and anything that can easily catch fire like curtains, blinds or furniture
- don't let candles fall over. You need to keep candles firmly upright in a proper holder
- always place candles on a heat resistant surface. Night lights and tea lights can melt plastic surfaces like TV tops and bathtubs
- don't lean across candles. You could set fire to your clothes or hair
- don't put candles under shelves or other surfaces
- always put out candles before moving them
- keep candles out of reach of children and pets.