A house fire is a homeowner’s worst nightmare. Despite being brought up with knowledge of and tips about fire prevention, most house fires still start because of the smallest things. Here are some of the most common reasons for house fires, which can easily be avoided.
Cooking equipment (e.g., leaving pots or pans to overheat on the stove)
Candles (keep them away from curtains, tissue boxes, books, and other similar household items, always blow a candle out before leaving a room)
Barbeques (cook with them away from tablecloths, garbage or recycling bins, and plants or tree branches, Keep BBQs regularly maintained and cleaned with soapy water and clean any removable parts.)
Flammable liquids(keep things such as kerosene or petrol away from heat sources)
Curious children (if there are any open flames, make sure to keep them and matches or lighters out of reach of children, Teach kids understand the “stop, drop, cover and roll”” drill as well as knowing their address if they needed to call 911.)
Lighting (be sure to use safe bulbs and lampshades that don’t overheat, Check around the house to make sure. Lamp bases can become a hazard if they are able to be knocked over easily, and so should be removed if they are)
Electrical equipment (e.g., appliances that have frayed cords or are plugged into overloaded extension cords or wall outlets, double check the appliances and power points in your home.)
Christmas Tree Fires (cut off an inch or so from the bottom of the trunk, removing any dead wood that would prevent the tree from soaking up water)
While we can’t eliminate all potential causes of house fires these are some basics that are well worth keeping in mind.
