House Badly Damaged After Candle Starts Fire
Written by HFM News on 25th January 2022
A house in Stoke Albany has been left badly damaged after a fire last night.
The blaze started in a bedroom of the property, after a candle set fire to clothing and quickly spread.
Pic: Desborough Fire Station
Firefighters were called just before 9pm and were able to prevent the fire spreading to other parts of the house.
However, it completely gutted the bedroom and caused smoke damage throughout the upstairs of the property.
The occupants were able to get out and were not injured.
Pic: Desborough Fire Station
The incident has prompted a warning about the dangers of candles and the importance of keeping internal doors closed, after the home-owner gave permission for pictures of the damage to be shared.
A spokesman for Desborough Fire Station said: “This fire was caused by a candle which initially set fire to clothing on the back of a door, which caused significant damage to the bedroom and also smoke damage in all the bedrooms, due to doors being left open.
“This highlights how important it is to use candles safely and to close the doors in your house where possible.”
Fire crews from Desborough and Corby attended the incident.
Northamptonshire Fire and Rescue Service say candles are one of the biggest causes of accidental fires in the home.
They say that, to ensure you can keep both yourself and your home safe, you should remember the following tips:
- Never leave a candle unattended.
- Always use a suitable holder when burning candles and incense, they should be on a heat-resistant surface, and take care with tea lights, which get hot enough to melt plastic
- Scented candles turn to liquid in order to release their fragrance, so always burn them in a suitable glass or metal container that can withstand the heat of the liquid and ensure that the liquid cannot leak out
- Always extinguish all candles when leaving a room, before going to bed or if the flames become too large (trim the wick to prevent the flame from becoming too large)
- Keep lit candles out of reach of children and pets
- Place candles away from curtains and other flammable items and keep burning candles away from draughts, open windows and fans
- Avoid lighting candles when alcohol is being consumed
- Remember to close bedroom doors as this can prevent the spread of fire, and most importantly ensure you have a working smoke alarm on every floor of your property.
Pic: Desborough Fire Station
Pic: Desborough Fire Station
