Dangers of tea lights highlighted in hard-hitting campaign

Dangers of tea lights highlighted in hard-hitting campaign

"My son would probably still be here today if the tea light which caused the fire at Harrow Court in Stevenage had been in a holder." This was the poignant message from Cyndy Harper as she launched Hertfordshire Fire and Rescue Service’s tea light campaign (Monday, March 10).

Cyndy lost her son, firefighter Michael Miller, in a blaze in a 14th floor flat in Harrow Court, Stevenage in 2005. Michael, 26, and his colleague Jeff Wornham, 28, were killed as they tried to save a resident, Natalie Close, who also died. The fire was started by a tea light left burning on a television without a holder.

Hertfordshire Fire and Rescue Service, with the support of Hertfordshire Trading Standards, will be educating people to always use a holder when burning tea lights as the foil container is not designed to be fire resistant.

Chief Fire Officer Roy Wilsher said: "This campaign is particularly important to us in Hertfordshire as we lost two valued colleagues in the Harrow Court fire. The tea light campaign is dedicated to their memory and we want to prevent anyone else losing their life in this tragic way."

Roy added: "Often people are unaware that the foil holder is only designed to contain the wax. But tea lights 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."

County Councillor Richard Smith, Executive Member for Community Safety said: “Young people are particularly vulnerable because tea lights are cheap to buy and look attractive, but they may be unaware of their hidden dangers.

“Tea lights are often sold in bags containing hundreds of candles, but safety information isn't printed on the individual tea lights. So if the candles get separated from their original packaging, so does the information about how to use them safely. I would urge shopkeepers who sell tea lights to support the campaign."

Tea light safety advice includes:

• Always burn tea lights in or on a suitable, non-flammable holder on a heat resistant surface
• Don’t let anything fall into the hot wax, including spent matches
• Never place tea lights directly on plastic surfaces such as TV's, computers or baths
• Never leave a tea light unattended and remember to extinguish before going to sleep
• Ensure candles are stable and cannot be knocked over
• Keep away from draughts or blowing curtains
• Keep tea lights away from children and pets

Make sure you have a working smoke alarm fitted and check it regularly.