We’ve included information below from the Government’s Fire Kills Campaign which highlights the everyday accidents that can cause a fire in your home.
Did you know?
- Cooking appliances are the main cause of fires in the home
- Around 5 fires a day are started at home by smoking
- Faulty electrical appliances cause over 3,500 fires in the home each year
- Nearly 3 accidental dwelling fires a day are caused by candles
Check your smoke alarms
You are around 9 times more likely to die from a fire if you don’t have a working smoke alarm in your home.
Make sure to check the smoke alarms in your home regularly, ideally once a week. You can do this by holding down the button on the alarm - if the alarm doesn't make a sound, you will need to change the batteries. Read our article smoke alarms save lives for more information on when and how to check your smoke alarms.
Cooking
When cooking in your home, make sure you follow basic safety precautions:
- If your cooker is in use, don’t leave children alone in the kitchen
- Keep tea towels, cloths and other flammable materials away from the cooker when it's in use
- Make sure your cooking appliances are switched off properly when you're not using them
Smoking in your home
If you choose to smoke in your home, the following advice has been shared by the National Fire Chiefs Council:
- Stub cigarettes out properly and dispose of them carefully
- Smoke outdoors and put cigarettes right out – this is safer than smoking indoors
- Use a proper ashtray – never a wastepaper basket
- Make sure your ashtray can’t tip over and is made of a material that won’t burn
- Don’t leave a lit cigarette, cigar or pipe lying around. They can easily fall over and start a fire
- Take extra care if you smoke when you’re tired, taking prescription drugs, or if you’ve been drinking. You might fall asleep and set your bed or sofa on fire
- Never smoke in bed
- Keep matches and lighters out of children’s reach
- Consider buying child resistant lighters and match boxes.
Keep communal areas clear of rubbish
Communal areas should be kept clear of rubbish to make sure it's easy for all residents to use fire escape routes. Rubbish can also cause accidents if people are trying to escape in a hurry.
Electrical safety
Make sure electrical devices are safe in your home:
- Regularly check for any hot plugs or plugs that have black or dark marks
- Check for broken or loose wires
- If you find any electrical faults in your home, contact us to arrange a repair
What to do if there is a fire
If you discover a fire in your building, you should follow your usual fire safety procedures. Make sure you and your household familiarise yourselves with the fire safety procedures for your building, including the location of your nearest fire exits and assembly points.