Christmas is approaching and everyone is looking forward to quality time with family, the scent of cookies and the welcoming warmth of candles all over the house, on the Advent wreath and on the Christmas tree. However: Christmas is not only the holiday of joy, but also of fire. Again and again the firefighters in the Offenbach district have to respond to house fires caused by Advent candles or Christmas trees.
But it’s not necessary. The safest solution for the Christmas tree is electric lighting. However, if you love the warm glow of real candles and don’t want to do without them, you should consider the following tips:
• Treat the Christmas tree in a container filled with water. Christmas tree stands that can be filled with water have proven themselves well.
• Do not use Christmas tree decorations made from combustible materials such as paper, cotton wool or cellulose.
• If possible, no longer light candles on very dry trees which may also lose their needles over a large area – especially dangerous after the New Year.
• Christmas trees should never be placed too close to curtains, furniture or other flammable objects. The minimum distance should be 50cm. Also, the tree shouldn’t be in front of what may be the only door. In this case, the escape route from the room would be blocked in the event of a fire.
• Christmas trees should always be placed securely in a suitable Christmas tree stand so that the tree cannot fall over. Against this background, special attention should be paid to pets.
• There should always be enough space on the sides where you have to pass to avoid accidentally dropping the tree.
• Candles should be firmly and securely attached to branches, not on branches that are too thin and not too close under other branches or Christmas tree decorations.
• Always light the candles at the top first and then come down. Proceed in reverse when switching off.
• Always supervise the lighting of wax candles – even on Advent wreaths – if possible place them on a non-flammable surface and extinguish them when leaving the room or apartment. Be careful with children!
• Always replace burnt out spark plugs in good time.
• Be careful with boxed artificial snow. In many cases, highly flammable propane or butane is used as the propellant. Sometimes another flame retardant gas is added; but this is not certain. Therefore, never sprinkle artificial snow on burning candles. Also, anyone spraying snow from a can should never smoke.
• Watch out for sparklers too. Even small sparks are enough to set fire to a very dry tree.
• Provide fire extinguishers, such as fire extinguishers, fire blankets, water buckets.
• If a fire breaks out despite all precautions: remain calm! If it’s still possible, try deleting it. At the same time, be sure to alert the fire department.
• If it is no longer possible to extinguish the fire safely: leave the apartment immediately, close the door to the fire room, call the fire brigade and warn neighbors who may be at risk.
This and other expert advice can be found online at www.kreis-offenbach.de/expertentipps.
(Text: PM District Offenbach)
