People should keep an eye on certain items in their homes to ensure nothing goes up in flames.
Last year's winter saw an average of 9,371 monthly fires recorded in the UK, with 11,744 recorded in November alone. Anthony Neary, managing director for safe.co.uk, said: “By looking into the latest UK fire statistics, we hope we’ve given people a good idea of what to look out for and how to be vigilant."
Most people expect house fires to start from the likes of dodgy heating appliances or from cookers and stoves. However, there are a number of common household items that are the most flammable and these are the items we may not think about the most.
READ MORE: Hazards in your home that could easily lead to a house fire
Joel Efosa, owner of Fire Cash Buyers, shared a list of some of the most surprising items that can cause devastating damage to your home if they go alight.
Five items you wouldn't expect to be a fire hazard
1. Nail polish
One of the main ingredients in nail polish is Acetone, which is highly flammable - similar to rubbing alcohol. When using nail polish make sure it's not being used near flames or other household items that may be flammable.
2. Mattresses
Believe it or not, mattresses are linked to nearly 10,000 house fires a year due to how flammable they are. Some home owners have cigarettes in bed on a morning and this tends to be a big driver of house fires. Along with smoking, having bedroom candles next to your bed can also prove to be a recipe for disaster.
3. Oranges
One of the world's favourite fruits is in fact a threat when it comes to household fires. The reason for this, is oranges have a chemical called limonene which is flammable - This is the reason why dried orange peel can be used as a fire starter for a campfire.
4. Coffee creamer
One of our favourites, again often happens early in the morning when we're having our caffeine fix for the day. Powdered non-dairy creamer is combustible due to a variety of chemicals which includes sodium aluminosilicate. So consider changing your powder to a liquid version.
5. Flour
Whilst the normal average kitchen is rarely filled with airborne flour, it still poses a big risk. When the flour is in the air it can explode when coming into contact with the flames due to the level of carbohydrates within the ingredient, which makes it burn quickly.
Tips for keeping your home fire safe
- Make sure a fire alarm is installed and the battery works. Regular tests will give you piece of mind that it is working correctly.
- Be sure to double check all candles have been blown out before going to bed or leaving the house.
- Ensure any fires are completely extinguished before sleeping to ensure chimney fires don’t start throughout the night.
- Have an escape route planned so everyone can get to safety during the event of a fire.
- Do not smoke in bed and safely discard any cigarettes or ashtrays, smoking materials were responsible for 8% of the housefires in 2020-21.
- Take extra care if you’re under the influence of alcohol, check appliances and fires are all in a safe condition before falling asleep.
- Don’t leave naked flames unattended for a long period of time.
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