Early this morning, firefighters were called to a home in Dickens Road, Gravesend to combat a fire that was ignited by a candle. Thankfully, all occupants of the house were able to evacuate safely, and no injuries were reported. However, the living room sustained significant smoke damage.
The fire is believed to have started when a candle left too close to paper caused the latter to ignite. The fire was quickly contained, with only a small amount of damage being done to a sofa in the living room, while the rest of the room was affected by smoke.
The Kent Fire and Rescue Service (KFRS) volunteer response team was on-site to offer support and advice to the residents, and the fire was quickly extinguished using hose reel jets.
In the wake of this incident, firefighters are urging people to be cautious when using candles and to follow the “top safety tips” to prevent future fires. These tips include using a candle holder and placing it on a non-flammable surface, never leaving burning candles unattended, especially when there are young children or pets in the house, keeping candles away from curtains, bedding, clothing or plants, avoiding placing burning candles on windowsills or on the floor, extinguishing candles before going to bed, and making sure that candles are not positioned in areas where they might be knocked over or caught in a draft.
Lastly, it’s essential to have a working smoke alarm on each floor of your home, and to test it weekly, according to the KFRS spokesman.
