How to prevent common fires in the home

Take extra care if you need to leave the kitchen whilst cooking, take pans off the heat or turn them down to avoid risk.
Avoid cooking when under the influence of alcohol.
Avoid leaving children in the kitchen alone when cooking on the hob. Keep matches and sauce pan handles out of their reach to keep them safe.
Make sure saucepan handles don’t stick out – so they don’t get knocked off the stove.
Take care if you’re wearing loose clothing – they can easily catch fire.
Keep tea towels and cloths away from the cooker and hob.
Spark devices are safer than matches or lighters to light gas cookers, because they don’t have a naked flame.
Double check the cooker is off when you’ve finished cooking

Keep electrics (leads and appliances) away from water.
Don’t put anything metal in the microwave.
Check toasters are clean and placed away from curtains and kitchen rolls.
Keep the oven, hob and grill clean and in good working order. A build-up of fat and grease can ignite a fire.

Take care when cooking with hot oil – it sets alight easily.
Make sure food is dry before putting it in hot oil so it doesn’t splash.
If the oil starts to smoke – it’s too hot. Turn off the heat and leave it to cool.
Use a thermostat controlled electric deep fat fryer. They can’t overheat.

Always check that you use the right fuse to prevent overheating.
Make sure an electrical appliance has a British or European safety mark when you buy it.
Certain appliances, such as washing machines, should have a single plug to themselves, as they are high powered.
Try and keep to one plug per socket.
When charging electrical goods, follow the manufacturer’s instructions and look for the CE mark that indicates chargers comply with European safety standards.
An extension lead or adaptor will have a limit to how many amps it can take, so be careful not to overload them to reduce the risk of a fire.
Appliances use different amounts of power – a television may use a 3amp plug and a vacuum cleaner a 5amp plug for example. Know the limit!
Keep electrical appliances clean and in good working order to prevent them triggering a fire.
Keep your eyes peeled for signs of dangerous or loose wiring such as scorch marks, hot plugs and sockets, fuses that blow or circuit-breakers that trip for no obvious reasons, or flickering lights.
Check and replace any old cables and leads, especially if they are hidden from view – behind furniture or under carpets and mats.
Unplugging appliances helps reduce the risk of fire.
Unplug appliances when you’re not using them or when you go to bed.

Always ensure that your furniture has the fire-resistant permanent label.

Try to secure heaters up against a wall to stop them falling over.
Keep them clear from curtains and furniture and never use them for drying clothes.

Store electric blankets flat, rolled up or loosely folded to prevent damaging the internal wiring.
Unplug blankets before you get into bed, unless it has a thermostat control for safe all-night use.
Try not to buy second hand blankets and check regularly for wear and tear.
Always follow the manufacturer’s instructions.

Stub cigarettes out properly and dispose of them carefully. Put them out. Right out!
Never smoke in bed.
Smoke outdoors and put cigarettes right out – this is safer than smoking indoors.
Use a proper ashtray – never a wastepaper basket.
Make sure your ashtray can’t tip over and is made of a material that won’t burn.
Don’t leave a lit cigarette, cigar or pipe lying around. They can easily fall over and start a fire.
The best way to reduce the risk is to make an attempt to quit, using NHS support if you need it. If you do not want to quit, consider vaping.
Take extra care if you smoke when you’re tired, taking prescription drugs, or if you’ve been drinking. You might fall asleep and set your bed or sofa on fire.
Unplug e-cigarettes when fully charged and ensure you are using the correct charger.
Never smoke illegally manufactured cigarettes.

Make sure candles are secured in a proper holder and away from materials that may catch fire – like curtains.
Put candles out when you leave the room, and make sure they’re put out completely at night.
Children shouldn’t be left alone with lit candles.
Consider using LED or battery-operated candles.
Keep pets away from lit candles.
Keep matches and lighters out of children’s reach.
Only buy child resistant lighters and match boxes.