MAWWFRS Issue Christmas Lights Safety Warning
On Sunday, 11/12/2016 at 00:38am, crews from Milford Haven were called to a fire at a property in Charles Street, Milford Haven.
The fire was confined to the Christmas tea lights, in the front room of the property. Firefighters extinguished the fire using a hose reel jet and two breathing apparatus.
The Fire Service left the incident at 01:03am.
Steve Davies, Deputy Head of Community Safety for Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service said,
“This incident could have been much worse had the occupants not been alerted to the fire by a working smoke alarm. I would like to take this opportunity to stress the importance of fitting a smoke alarm and testing it every week.
We all love Christmas lights, but we often forget that Christmas lights are used far less than everyday lights, and so require more care.
When arranging your lights, please follow the manufacturer’s instructions, check that your Christmas lights carry the British Standard sign and replace any bulbs that blow.
These light bulbs can burn through materials such as paper of fabrics so please do not attach decorations to lights or heaters.
Make this a Christmas to remember for the right reasons, always ensure that you switch all Christmas lights off and unplug them before leaving the house or going to bed.”
Christmas lights safety Do and Don’ts
Do
· Display your lights in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions.
· Ensure you buy Christmas lights from a reputable supplier and carry the British Standard sign.
· Check the fuses are the right type.
· If bulbs blow, replace them.
· Only use outside leads for outside lights.
· Test the batteries in your smoke alarm every week. Never remove them.
Don’t
· Don’t leave decorative lights on when you go out or when you go to sleep.
· Don’t overload sockets and extension leads.
· Don’t attach decorations to lights or heaters as they can burn easily.
· Don’t let Christmas tree light bulbs touch anything that can burn easily, such as paper or fabrics.
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