Cheshire firefighters have issued a warning people of the potential dangers from fire on Halloween.
Every year at Halloween adults and children are injured in accidents where lighted candles have ignited flammable costumes and hair.
Halloween 2014 hit the headlines when Claudia Winkleman’s daughter Matilda was badly burnt after her fancy dress costume caught fire.
Service delivery manager for Cheshire West and Chester Steven Barnes said: “We don’t want to stop children enjoying themselves at Halloween, but we do want them to stay safe.
Parents and guardians can help by making sure that only fire retardant costumes are worn and that any flowing bits of costume and fake hair is kept away from naked flames.
“Instead of using tealight candles in pumpkins or lanterns, battery operated tealights could be used instead, and battery operated candles can be carried. Above all, children should know how to ‘stop drop and roll’ if they are in contact with fire.
“Halloween parties often feature candles around the home and extra care should be taken with these. Not only can they be knocked over but flowing costumes and fake hair can easily catch fire if they come into contact with candle flames.”
Follow this safety advice for a bewitching, happy and safe Hallowe’en
- Keep plastic capes and bin liners (often used as costumes) away from candles and other naked flames
- Pumpkin lanterns and candles are extremely hazardous. If the candle tips over it could set light to materials such as costumes, curtains, clothes and furniture and start a serious fire.
- Lanterns should not be made from plastic containers which can result in burns and cause a fire.
- Always use a suitable holder when burning candles
- Extinguish candles before moving them and don’t let anything fall into the hot wax, like matchsticks
- Candles should always be sited out of the reach of children and away from areas that pets can get into
- Don’t put them under shelves - make sure there’s at least one metre (three feet) between a candle and any surface above it
- Keep clothes and hair away from the naked flame. If there’s any chance you could forget a candle is there and lean across or brush past it, put it somewhere else.
- Use a snuffer or a spoon to put them out. Blowing them can send sparks and hot wax flying, double check that they are completely out and not still smouldering
- Put them on a heat-resistant surface and be especially careful with night lights and tea lights, which get hot enough to melt plastic; TVs are not fire resistant objects
- Don’t leave them burning. You should extinguish candles before you leave a room; never go to sleep with a candle still burning and never leave a burning candle or oil burner in a child’s bedroom
- Scented candles turn to liquid in order to release their fragrance, so always burn them in a suitable glass or metal container that can withstand the heat of the liquid and that the liquid cannot lead from
And remember, if your clothes ever do catch fire - Stop, Drop and Roll:
- Stop where you are. Do not run. Running can make things worse
- Drop to the ground. Lay flat with your legs out straight
- Cover your eyes and mouth with your hands
- Roll over and over and back and forth until the flames are out
- Get help straight away
