Fire Safety - Editorial

A few years ago, three youngsters lost their lives in a house fire in Blackpool. Brothers Gage (aged 8), Arnie (5) and Callum Lumb (4) died in a fire in their North Shore home which Coroner Samuel Lee described as so intense that its exact cause may never be known. He acknowledged the contribution of the boys' father, who survived the fire along with his wife and four other children, that his sons had played with fire in the past, but concluded that it was only one of many possible causes.

What was certain, however, was that no smoke alarm was fitted in the home and that the tragedy would most probably have been averted had one been fitted. Sadly, in spite of our best efforts to publicise the necessity of having a working smoke alarm in the home, evidence drawn from fire statistics clearly show there's a long way to go to make every home fire safe

In the three years from 1st April 2000 to March 2003, 49 people in Lancashire could have been saved if simple fire safety measures had when cigarettes or matches were disposed of carelessly, followed closely by chip pan fires (18), other cooking-related fires (6), clothes or other combustible items left too near to a heat source (6), fires started by faulty electric blankets (4) and electrical faults (2) as the main causes.

Out been adopted in the home. In over a third of cases (34), fires started of the 43 incidents that led to these deaths, 29 properties were not fitted with a smoke alarm. Of the 14 remaining that were fitted with an alarm 10 alarms failed to operate, 8 of them because the battery had been removed.

The message is obvious. Fit a smoke alarm and if you already have one, or more, make sure that the device is working. Test it monthly and replace the battery yearly, or sooner.

CONTACT YOUR NEAREST FIRE STATION TO BOOK A FREE HOME FIRE SAFETY CHECK VISIT.  FIRE FIGHTERS WILL VISIT YOU AND CHECK THAT YOUR HOME IS FIRE SAFE.  THEY WILL FIT A SMOKE ALARM FREE IF NEEDED.  DETAILS OF YOUR NEAREST FIRE STATION CAN BE OBTAINED BY RINGING 01772 862545