Cornwall Fire & Rescue Service Newsdesk

Tredenham Road, St Mawes at 30/11/2008 04:41

Firefighters from St Mawes attended a report that there had been a small fire involving a table but that the fire was already out.

The crews found that a candle from a table decoration had burnt down, igniting a tablecloth. They inspected to ensure the scene was safe and vented the smoke from the room.

General Fire Safety Advice:
Candles
Candles are actually a rising cause of fire. Every year, a growing number of people are killed or injured because they are careless with them. With candles being popular for Christmas decorations, we urge you to be especially careful in the run up to Christmas.

Keep these safety tips in mind whenever you use candles:
- put them on a heat-resistant surface – and be especially careful with night lights and tea lights, which get hot enough to melt plastic; TVs are not fire-resistant objects
- make sure they are held firmly upright by the holder so they won't fall over; the holder needs to be stable too, so it won't fall over either
- don't put candles near curtains, or other fabrics or furniture - and keep them out of draughts
- don't leave them burning – you should extinguish candles before you leave a room; never go to sleep with a candle still burning and never leave a burning candle or oil burner in a child's bedroom
- use a snuffer or a spoon to put them out - blowing them can send sparks and hot wax flying – and double-check that they're completely out and not still smoldering

Please, be safe this Christmas.

Related item: http://www.cornwall.gov.uk/index.cfm?articleid=2025