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Preventing Fires in Homes of Smokers Southampton

Smoking materials are also the biggest cause of fatal home fires, which kill an average of 132 Britons each year. Read on and learn more.

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Preventing Fires in Homes of Smokers

Homes with smokers are 35% more likely to have a house fire

Households with smokers are almost 35 per cent more likely to have a fire than homes without smokers, research from the government reveals.

Smoking materials are also the biggest cause of fatal home fires, which kill an average of 132 Britons each year.

There are around 4,300 fires every year, with the average damage caused to properties costing £25,500.

And with a smoker living in a third of all British households, the fire minister Angela Smith is warning smokers to take care to avoid causing an accidental home fire.

"These are shocking facts and should act as a deterrent to all those smokers out there," commented Ms Smith.

She added: "A little extra care will mean fewer lives lost or put at risk and fewer households losing their homes and treasured mementoes."

Precautions smokers should take to prevent a fire at home

  • Take extra care when you are tired, taking any sort of drugs or have been drinking alcohol as it is very easy to fall asleep while your cigarette is still burning.
  • Never smoke in bed - if you need to lie down, do not light up. You could doze off and set your bed on fire.
  • Never leave lit cigarettes, cigars or pipes unattended - they can easily tip over or fall as they burn down.
  • Buy child-resistant lighters and matchboxes - every year children die by starting fires with matches and lighters. Keep these where children cannot reach them.
  • Use a proper, heavy ashtray that will not tip over easily and is made of a material that does not burn. Make sure your cigarette is not still burning when you are finished – put it out, right out.
  • Tap your ash into an ashtray, never a wastebasket containing other rubbish – and do not let the ash or cigarette ends build up in the ashtray.
  • Fit and maintain a smoke alarm - when a fire starts, you only have a few minutes to escape. A working smoke alarm can buy you valuable time to get out, stay out and dial 999. You can get a basic smoke alarm for the same price as a packet of cigarettes. Better still are smoke alarms with long-life batteries or are powered from the mains.

    For more fire safety information see www.firekills.gov.uk
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