Household fires have made national headlines since the start of winter, and Bloemfontein is no exception as fires across the city have been a hot topic.
It is for this reason that Braam van Zyl from the Mangaung Fire and Rescue Department provided readers with some important safety tips to consider this winter.
He highlighted that some of the common causes of house fires include leaving cooking unattended, overloading of electrical sockets and leaving electrical appliances such as dishwashers or washing machines running overnight or when you leave the house.
Van Zyl added that non-compliance with building codes also makes lapas a fire hazard in households in addition to leaving candles unattended, burning cigarettes, electric blankets and faulty wires.
He urged that children also need to be supervised as curious minds and matches do not mix. “Children under the age of six are most likely to find trouble and play with lighters and matches,” Van Zyl emphasised.
Van Zyl’s evacuation plan for your home:
According to Van Zyl, it is important to install a smoke detector and have an escape plan in the case of a fire. This means that you should have two exits out of every room, and doors that open easily.
“Make sure that doors and windows are not blocked and have emergency lighting (flash light) on hand. Practice your home fire drill with everyone in the home,” he urged.
Van Zyl concluded by urging that residents should regularly test their home alarms and if a room is full of smoke it is advisable to crawl low on the ground.
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