Common causes of fire

1. Cooking equipment
2. Heating
3. Smoking in bedrooms
4. Electrical equipment
5. Candles
6. Curious children
7. Faulty wiring
8. Barbeques
9. Flammable liquids
10. Lighting
11. Spark from oven
12. Careless throwing of burning cigarettes or bidi end
13. Naked lamp
14. Electric shock circuit
15. Burning charcoal
16. Smoldering fuel
17. Misfiring of engine
18. Bursting of stove
19. Over heating of electric appliances.

1. Cooking equipment

Pots and pans can overheat and cause a fire very easily if the person cooking gets distracted and leaves cooking unattended. Always stay in the room, or ask someone to watch your food, when cooking on hotplates.

2. Heating

Keep portable heaters at least one metre away from anything that could easily catch fire such as furniture, curtains, laundry, clothes and even yourself. If you have a furnace, get it inspected once a year to make sure it is working to safety standards.

3. Smoking in bedrooms

Bedrooms are best to be kept off limits for smoking. A cigarette that is not put out properly can cause a flame, as the butt may stay alit for a few hours. It could burst into flames if it came into contact with flammable materials, such as furniture.

4. Electrical equipment

An electrical appliance, such as a toaster can start a fire if it is faulty or has a frayed cord. A power point that is overloaded with double adapter plugs can cause a fire from an overuse of electricity. A power point extension cord can also be a fire hazard if not used appropriately. Double check the appliances and power points in your home.

5. Candles

Candles look and smell pretty, but if left unattended they can cause a room to easily burst into flames. Keep candles away from any obviously flammable items such as books and tissue boxes. Always blow a candle out before leaving a room.

6. Curious children

Kids can cause a fire out of curiosity, to see what would happen if they set fire to an object. Keep any matches or lighters out of reach of children, to avoid any curiosity turned disaster. Install a smoke alarm in your child’s room and practice a home escape plan with your children and family in case there was a fire.

7. Faulty wiring

Homes with inadequate wiring can cause fires from electrical hazards. Some signs to see if you’ve bad wiring are: Lights dim if you use another appliance; For an appliance to work, you have to disconnect another; Fuses blow or trip the circuit frequently Have a licence electrician come and inspect you house, or contact your landlord if you have any of the above occurrences.

8. Barbeques

Barbeques are great for an outdoor meal, but should always be used away from the home, tablecloths or any plants and tree branches. Keep BBQs regularly maintained and cleaned with soapy water and clean any removable parts. Check the gas bottle for any leaks before you use it each time.

9. Flammable liquids

If you have any flammable liquids in the home or garage such as petrol, kerosene or mentholated spirits, keep them away from heat sources and check the label before storing. Be careful when pouring these liquids.

10. Lighting

Lamp shades and light fittings can build up heat if they are very close to light globes. Check around the house to make sure. Lamp bases can become a hazard if they are able to be knocked over easily, and so should be removed if they are. Check that down lights are insulated from wood panelling or ceiling timbers.