4 very common and frequent causes of house fires
Many of you will remember with amusement those days when at school there were those famous fire drills, during which all the students, at the sound of the fire alarm bell, were let out of the classrooms and grouped in a safe place out in the open.
Practice drills like this are very useful to avoid injury and limit damage due to fires, but are we sure that we know all the rules that can help to prevent fires?
Firefighters and institutional campaigns employ various methods to highlight some obvious mistakes that seem to be practically ignored but are still today the main causes of many fire emergencies.
Below, we have presented four mistakes that are particularly common, which we should all bear in mind.
via tiphero.com
1. Fire extinguishers
Firefighters believe that many fires in homes or offices could be quickly contained if people were instructed to properly use fire extinguishers, or if, more commonly, they were better positioned inside buildings, far away from objects that impede their use.
2. Electric cords and extensions
We often rely very much on electric cords and extensions because they are very convenient and versatile. However, many people ignore that they are also dangerous!
They are designed for temporary use (since they tend to overheat) and for small appliances (a large appliance should be connected directly to an electric socket).
Electric cords and extensions should never be fixed to the wall with nails or perforated in any way; in addition, exposing them to the sun or placing them near rugs or carpets increases the risk factor very much.
3. Dryers and washing machines
As far as the tumble dryers are concerned, the greatest risk lies in the filters and the fan, since they can collect a lot of dust which leads to overheating.
Washing machines, on the other hand, are subjected to greater mechanical stress, and usually, it is structural or electrical failures that cause fires to break out.
In both cases, as many studies report, the cause is always the lack of cleaning and maintenance.
4. Candles
Candles are responsible for a huge number of fires, especially during the Christmas period.
Therefore, candles should never be lit next to curtains or other flammable materials (such as festive decorations); they should also never be left on when we are not in the room or in the presence of children.
It may seem like trivial advice, but believe us ... it is not at all!
