Fire warning for Kildare households over fatal mistake made with Christmas lights

Fire Safety Ireland have warned Kildare households, in addition to households throughout Ireland, not to make a potentially fatal mistake with Christmas decorations this year.

The warning comes as millions of homes are decked out with Christmas trees and lights in the run-up to the festive period. The issue that can cause a serious fire is overloaded sockets.

Fire Safety Ireland issued a stark warning that smoke inhalation can be fatal in as little as three minutes. Overloaded sockets pose a serious risk of electrical fire.

The safety warning reads: "Never overload electric sockets. If you need more electric sockets have then installed by a qualified electrician. Make sure that you use the correct fuses in your appliances, unplug all unnecessary electrical appliances at night-time and if electrical equipment is designed to be on all night, install a smoke alarm in the room."

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Fire Safety Ireland issues further advice:

To prevent fires starting, we need to avoid doing the following:

Smoking when tired

Leaving burning candles unattended

Being careless with matches and lighters

Leaving chip pans, frying pans, etc. unattended

Standing too close to fires, heaters, etc.

Using faulty electrical appliances

Overloading sockets

Leaving a mobile device charging on a bed or couch

We also need to make sure to:

Have our chimneys cleaned at least once a year

Use a spark guard with open fires

Use proper holders when burning candles

Keep ashtrays empty when not in use

Have a suitable fire extinguisher and fire blanket in your kitchen

Have faulty electrical appliances repaired or replaced immediately

Close all doors at night time

Carry out a routine fire safety check before going to bed