Burgess Hill bedroom blaze sparks new warning from firefighters

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A fire in a teenager’s bedroomm in Burgess Hill on Tuesday has sparked a new warning from firefighters.

Two crews from Burgess Hill and Haywards Heath rushed to the house in West Street just before 1pm after candles on the teenager’s bedroom window set fire to curtains.

When they arrived, crews found the fire had already been doused by an adult living there, but crews offered some safety advice to the household and helped ventilate the property.

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Burgess Hill Fire Station creew manager Ed Swain said: “Luckily there was an adult in the property at the time when the fire broke out and he managed to deal with the fire himself upon hearing the smoke alarms actuating.

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“With the latest advice from the government to help curb the spread of Covid-19, people should be staying at home and observing social distancing guidance.

“We would like to take this opportunity to remind people of the dangers associated with naked flames and candles and the importance of keeping them away from flammable materials.

“They should only be used in a proper candle holder, and they should be extinguished before you leave the room or go to sleep.

“Candles should never be left unattended.

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“By following these simple steps you can enjoy having a candle lit, without putting the household at risk of fire.

“In this instance, it didn’t take much for the curtains to catch fire, and this had the potential to become a much more serious incident.

“There was a fair bit of heat damage to the curtains and the teenager’s bed, as well as smoke damage to the rest of the room.

“Fortunately this house also had a working smoke alarm fitted, which gave the family an early warning that something was wrong.”

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West Sussex Fire &and Rescue Service have issued some home fire safety tips with more people working and being in the home due to the coronavirus oubreak.

The advice includes:

Smoke alarms should be on every level of the home. Check they’re working regularly.

Avoid smoking in comfortable furniture or beds #DontSnoozeAndSmoke

Fires in chimneys can start at any time. Take this time to clean yours.

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Electrical items should be checked, don’t overload plug sockets.

Try and be more careful in the kitchen. Half of home fires start here.

Close your doors at night in case a fire breaks out. This will help to contain the fire and prevent the spread of toxic smoke by up to 20 minutes.

Nicki Peddle, head of prevention at WSFRS said: “In these uncertain and difficult times we really want you to be as safe as possible at home. That is why we are offering some extra tips to help keep you and those you care for safe from fire.

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“They are really simple things that we build in to our new routines, but they will have a big impact on reducing the risk of a fire in our home.”

If you have a fire in your home – get out, stay out, call 999.

For more information on home fire safety visit: https://www.westsussex.gov.uk/fire-emergencies-and-crime/west-sussex-fire-and-rescue-service/home-fire-safety/

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