Fire Hazard Brainteaser

Did you know that the second-highest number of claims that insurance companies receive are for fire damage?

Landlords are required to meet safety regulations in their rental properties, which include meeting the British Standard 7671 inspections every five years as well as installing fire alarms and extinguishers. Tenants should also play their part in maintaining the safety of the property throughout their tenancy, by spotting fire hazards before they get out of hand.

A fire can spread through a home quickly so when spotting fire hazards, time is of the essence.

CIA Landlords have made a brainteaser to test your hazard awareness skills and see if your fast reactions can save the day. See if you can spot all the fire hazards in our household scene within 30 seconds:

Have you found all the fire hazards? Hint: There are seven altogether.

SPOILER ALERT!

See below for the full reveal and list of fire hazards:

The full list of fire hazards:

• Live electric wires have been left exposed

53% of accidental house fires are caused by electrical faults, and over 700 injuries are caused by them each year. Just under 10% of accidental fires are caused specifically by faults in wires, cabling and plugs.

• A candle has been left alone whilst lit – and is next to a set of curtains

950 house fires were caused by candles in 2020-21, that is nearly 3 per day. LED flameless candles are a great, and safe alternative.

• A lit cigarette has been left in the attic

Cigarettes that have not been properly extinguished and disposed of cause one in 12 house fires in the UK of accidental house fires and over a third (36%) of deaths in house fires.

• Hob on oven top left on 

Cooking appliances are responsible for a whopping 46% of all accidental house fires per year. Over 7,500 fires were caused by cookers and 1,400 by heated hobs left on between 2020-21. It is important to remember to check that ovens and hobs are turned off fully after cooking.

• Straighteners left on

Over 650,000 house fires in the UK have been caused by straighteners or curlers being left on. Always make sure to check that you have turned styling tools off once you have finished using them.

• Flammable items left by the fire 

It is recommended that you put a fire out 45 minutes before you leave the room in order to let the ashes cool whilst you are there to keep an eye out for any sparks or hazards. Watch out for materials such as cotton and viscose as they are highly flammable.

• Plug sockets near water 

There should be a 3m gap between any sockets and a bath/shower as dictated by the Building Regulations rules in the UK. Water getting into sockets can overwhelm its circuit, producing sparks and causing an electrical fire.

Sources

morganclark.co.uk/

tmservicesltd.co.uk/

leics-fire.gov.uk/

icecleaning.co.uk/

electricalsafetyfirst.org.uk/

itv.com/news/

www.gov.uk/

https://mytrustedexpert.com/

electricalsafetyfirst.org.uk/