Fire tragedies lead to safety warning

A SERIES of fatal fires has prompted fire chiefs to urge residents to take simple precautions.

Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service (GMFRS) wants the public to make it their New Year’s Resolution to protect homes and lives.

While the festive season passed without too many serious fire-related incidents in Greater Manchester, there were tragedies elsewhere.

Many could have been prevented if a few simple precautions had been put in place.

Unattended cooking and carelessly discarded cigarettes are two of the most common causes of accidental fires.

During the dark nights of winter, more people rely on heaters and candles which can also cause serious fires if they are not used responsibly.

Between December 24, 2011, and January 2, GMFRS dealt with 81 accidental house fires, down from 107 the previous year.

Accidental fires can involve electrical items such as fairy lights and heaters, cooking equipment, alcohol and cigarettes, and candles.

Nationally, crews dealt with serious seasonal incidents including a house fire in Kilmarnock, Scotland, in which a nine-year-old boy died. Family members said the fire could have been caused by an electrical fault on a fibre-optic Christmas tree.

In Chatham, a pensioner inhaled smoke and was found unconscious after a candle set fire to a curtain in her home.

And more recently, four youngsters tragically died during a house fire in Freckleton, Lancashire.

Reece Smith (19), four-year-old twins Holly and Ella Smith and two-year-old Jordan Smith died in the blaze on Saturday.

Chairman of the Greater Manchester Fire Authority, Councillor David Acton, said: “I hope that everyone enjoyed their Christmas and New Year celebrations and I’m pleased to see a reduction in incidents in Greater Manchester.

“This is partly down to the hard work of our crews who carry out home safety checks and promote fire safety in the community, and the public who have taken on board our advice.

“But we would like to keep these incidents down and now the festive season is over and people are back at work, it’s important to be reminded that fire in the home remains a serious risk, not just over the festive season but all year round.

“So please take a few moments to read our safety advice and if you haven’t had a home safety check, please make it your New Year’s Resolution to call us.”