Firefighters from Blackpool were called to a house on Milbourne Street around 10PM last night (Sunday).
Neighbours could smell smoke and heard a smoke alarm at the property so called the emergency services.
At the Scene Crews using Breathing apparatus found that heat from an unattended tea light had caused the plastic Bath tub to melt and catch fire – filling the property with acrid smoke. No one was reported injured.
Tealight Holders
ANY Candle left unattended could cause a fire. The foil cups surrounding tealights are great for containing wax, preventing it from sticking inside a tea light holder.
Tealight holders can be purchased from any good homeware shop in town and you can usually find them cheaper from local traders just outside the town centre.
Fire Brigade Safety Warning
Watch Manager John Riley said: “The fire was caused by a tea light candle left burning on the side of the bath. “Tealight candles can reach extremely high temperatures – the foil container becomes extremely hot – so if they are placed directly onto a plastic surface, like a television, stereo or even the edge of a bath, the tea light will burn through the plastic very quickly, causing a fire. “Fortunately, the neighbours, on hearing the smoke detector and smelling smoke, immediately rang the Fire Service.
Source: http://www.blackpoolgazette.co.uk/our-region/blackpool/crews-battle-serious-blaze-after-tealight-sets-fire-to-bath-1-8447296
No-one is believed to have been home when the bath caught fire. Leaving any naked flame unattended as we all well know is a bad idea.
Although the fire didn’t spread throughout the whole of the property – the first floor of the house suffered massively from smoke damage and the occupiers have found alternative accommodation until the house can be rectified.
What’s the best way to ensure an unattended candle doesn’t cause any damage?
Have you read our Article about The chap from London Who Died unusually in his Bath?
Or have you seen how this local teacher accidentally embarrassed the school in a text message autocorrect tragedy?
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