McCurdy Group - Insurance and Financial Consultants

Wednesday, July 13, 2011

The Dangers of the Unattended Lit Candle

Maybe you need a little ambiance or possibly a pleasant fragrance, so you light a candle in your room. A few hours go by and it is getting late and you are getting sleepy. As you sleep, a small drip of hot wax from the unattended candle catches your curtains, igniting them. The flame leaps from your curtains, to your bed sheets, to your clothes, to your body! Now you remember that nice, vanilla-scented candle you just had to light -- but it is now going to take a visit from the fire department to put it out. Accidents can happen at any moment. Don’t let something like this happen to you!

Candles are the number one cause of household fires. They cause hundreds of deaths and injuries a year and millions of dollars in property damages. Leaving a candle unattended is a danger to yourself, your children, your neighbors, pets, and the firefighters called to the scene.

Some Interesting Candle Facts:

  • December is the peak month for candle fires and Christmas is the peak day (A dry Christmas tree and a flaming candle don’t mix.)
  • Most candle fires begin in the bedroom between midnight and 6 am. (Zzz…You won’t always smell smoke when you’re asleep.)
  • Young children have the highest death risk from candle fires. (Teach your children fire safety!)
  • Many candle fires start because the candle is too close to a combustible material. (It’s as simple as being careful and aware with a very dangerous household object.)
  • It’s a good idea to extinguish your candles before that second Margarita…

If you do use candles, ensure they are in a sturdy container, out of reach of children and pets, and extinguished after use. Always blow out your candles before leaving the room, leaving the house, or going to sleep. Leaving a lit candle unattended can lead to very serious and dire consequences.

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