A Craigieburn woman’s escape from a house fire is a stark reminder of the dangers of unattended candles and the need for working smoke alarms in homes.
The woman woke to her alarm shortly before 7am on April 4 to discover her house was on fire and burning fiercely after a housemate had left a candle burning in a back bedroom, causing the property to go up in flames.
The woman was able to safely evacuate the property, with firefighters arriving at the scene at 7am and bringing the fire under control at 7.15am.
Nobody else was home at the time of the fire and no injuries were sustained in the blaze. The house was deemed uninhabitable due to heat, smoke and water damage.
Fire Rescue Victoria (FRV) incident controller Commander Alex Faris said the woman was incredibly lucky to escape the incident unharmed, as smoke alarms in the property were not working at the time of the incident.
“It takes just minutes for a fire to take hold, and the smell of smoke will not wake you up,” he said.
Mr Faris highlighted the importance of safely burning candles in the home.
“If you’re going to burn a candle in a home, please ensure you have a working smoke alarm in every bedroom, living and hallway area,” he said.
According to FRV, 67 per cent of fatal house fires in Victoria last year occurred in the living room or bedroom, both popular spots to burn candles in the home.
“While it is easy to do, please never leave a burning candle unattended,” Mr Faris said.
FRV Deputy Commissioner Community Safety, Joshua Fischer said safety precautions must be in place if you are going to burn candles.
“Candles should only be lit on stable, uncluttered surfaces that won’t burn, and placed well away from curtains and other flammable materials,” Mr Fischer said.
CFA Chief Officer Jason Heffernan said before lighting any candles, people should check their smoke alarms are in working order.
“It only takes a few minutes to clean and test your smoke alarm. It’s a small step, but one that can save lives,” Heffernan said.
