London Fire Brigade has today issued a warning about ‘beauty blazes’, following a large house fire that is believed to have been caused by a hairdryer in Harrow this week.
New figures from the Brigade show that there is a ‘beauty blaze’ every fortnight in the capital, caused by items like hairdryers, straighteners, tongs, vanity mirrors, and bathroom candles.
Tom George, Acting Deputy Head of Community Safety at London Fire Brigade, said:
“Firefighters in London attend at least one of these ‘beauty blazes’ every fortnight. Whether it’s candles used during a bath or straighteners used in the morning, people need to make sure they include fire safety in their beauty routines.
“Many of the straighteners available today can reach temperatures of over 200 degrees celsius, which is hotter than the oil in a deep fat fryer, so it’s vital that people take care.
”Candles are popular in the bathroom, but if they’re not placed on a heat proof surface, they can melt through your bath or toilet. This is especially important with tea lights, which get very hot on the bottom.”
The fire in Harrow this week caused severe damage to the first floor of a terraced house. The blaze is believed to have been caused by a hairdryer which was left on a bed. It heated up the bedding which then caught fire, and quickly spread to the rest of the room.
The fire comes just days after the Brigade issued a press release warning about the dangers of Hair Straighteners after two house fires.
In the first of the two recent incidents two young boys were rescued from a fire, which is thought to have started when a woman left her straighteners on a pile of clothes when she went to the door to collect a takeaway pizza .
The second fire saw a woman rescued by fire crews wearing breathing apparatus from a house in Southgate after she left her hair straighteners switched on while they lay on a laminated floor.
The Brigade’s top three tips for avoiding a ‘beauty blaze’ are:
1.Hairdryers, hair tongs, and straighteners can get extremely hot, so it’s very important to remember to switch them off and leave them to cool on a heat proof surface, such as a cork mat.
2.Shaving or make up mirrors should be kept away from direct sunlight, along with any canisters, such as deodorant or hairspray.
3.Candles need to be placed on a surface that can’t melt or catch fire, such as a ceramic plate. Always blow them out when you leave the room, and never leave them burning without supervision.
I leave you with some sobering images of 'beauty blazes'
Candle on bath
Hairdryer on bed
Mirror fire
Thank you for this post....I always think I am careful but its sobering to look at those photos and it makes me rethink where I leave my straighteners and indeed double check that I've switched them off! Thanks again for reminding us all to be vigilant x
ReplyDeleteI think most people forget that the beauty equipment they use has a safety hazard and take it for granted. I would never forgive myself it was something I'd left on burnt the houes I have lovingly spent months/years putting together
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