Advice Issued for Candle Safety Week

The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service have issued advice as part of Candle Safety Week which ends tomorrow.

An average of 144 candle related incidents happen each year with around 53 people being injured.

13 fires have been caused by candles in Fife over the last year including one that involved a fatality. 

The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS) issued the following advice: 
 
Do

• Put candles in a proper candlestick holder – the heavier it is at the bottom the better because it won’t tip over.
• Make sure the candle fits the holder tightly so it doesn’t fall or get knocked over by accident.
• Put candlestick holders on a flat, stable, heat-resistant surface.
• Keep candles out of winds and draughts.
• Keep candles clear of clothes, curtains, cushions, papers and other things that burn easily
• Always put them out properly before leaving the room – use a metal snuffer or wet your fingers and pinch the wick where the flame starts.
• Keep candles, matches and cigarette lighters out of reach of children and NEVER place lit candles where they can be knocked over by children or household pets.

Never

• Leave a lit candle alone – even for a few seconds.
• Lean across a lit candle – you could set your hair or clothes on fire.
• Place on soft furnishings (like cushions) or plastic (like TVs, baths that are made of plastic (acrylic). Even acrylic toilets can melt and cause a fire!
• Put candles on shelves – they can heat up the shelf above and cause a fire.
• Put them on top of heaters or in the middle of the mantelpiece. An unlit candle can melt in the heat below and catch fire.
• Use them if you’ve been drinking alcohol or feel sleepy.

To request a home fire safety visit, call the SFRS freephone number: 0800 0731 999, text FIRE to 80800, or visit the website at www.firescotland.gov.uk.