Over the next few weeks, thousands of Londoners will leave the city on their summer holiday. Most know that protecting themselves against theft is important when leaving their home unattended, but many forget that fire can also be a danger in an empty property.
London Fire Brigade's Head of Community Safety Paul Oughton said: "Nobody wants to go on holiday and find out their home has been wrecked by fire. Taking a few minutes to carry out some simple checks could prevent this from happening. If you're worried about fire risks in your home, why not contact us on 08000 28 44 28 and arrange a free home fire safety visit."
Before you go on holiday:
•Switch off and unplug all unnecessary electrical equipment including appliances such as TVs and radios which have a ‘standby’ mode.
•Turn the water off at the mains. Water from a leaking pipe or overflowing cistern could short out electrical wiring and cause a fire.
•Close down the gas supply at the mains unless you have gas-powered appliances which need to be left on.
•Let a neighbour know you are going away and leave a key with them.
•Close all doors and windows, especially the internal doors, so if fire breaks out its spread will be slowed down.
•Check your smoke alarms and change the batteries if necessary
The Brigade is offering all London residents a free home fire safety visit. Firefighters visit homes, talk to you about fire risks and fit free smoke alarms if they are needed. Call 08000 28 44 28 to arrange a home fire safety visit.
Note to editors:
none
Members of the media can obtain further information from the press office on:
telephone number: 020 8536 5922
email: press@london-fire.gov.uk
