We all know that smoking is bad. Smoking is one of the leading causes of fires in homes. Not only is it detrimental for your physical health but it is also a danger to your home and the safety of those within kit. Fires caused by cigarettes, roll ups, cigars and pipe tobacco cause more fire related deaths than any other. The London Fire Brigade stated that last year more than three fires a day in London were linked to smoking and half of accidental fire deaths were related to careless cigarette disposal.
These are their recommendations for smokers and preventing smoking related fires.
- Never smoke in bed.
- If you think you are going to fall asleep, never smoke on a sofa or an arm chair.
- If you have been drinking or take prescription drugs that cause tiredness then do not smoke.
- Always use a proper ash tray that will not tip over and do not stub your cigarette out on anything that will burn, such as a pare plate at a party.
- Never let ashtrays overflow, and always wet them to dampen the contents before putting them into the bin.
- If you have children then keep all matches and lighters out of their reach and make sure they have child resistant lighters.
- If you use paraffin-based emollient creams then look for non-flammable alternatives.
- Always install smoke detectors on every level of your home and in all sleeping areas. Many fire deaths occur at night so making sure your home is safe before sleeping is paramount.
- Have an escape plan agreed in advance making sure that there are two exits in every room.