Safety reminder after cigarette causes house fire

We are reminding people of some key safety tips after a cigarette caused a house fire in Newcastle-under-Lyme.

Crews were called at 1.40pm on Monday (13 April) to Windemere Road following reports of smoke coming from a house.

Three appliances attended the scene and extinguished a fire in the bedroom. Thankfully, nobody was reported injured.

The cause was deemed to be a cigarette which had fallen between floorboards.

If you smoke in your home, we urge you to be cautious and follow the safety advice below:

• Make sure your cigarette is fully extinguished and carefully disposed of
• Never smoke in bed – you could easily doze off and set your bed on fire
• Always use a proper ashtray which is made of material which can’t burn or tip over
• Take extra care when you’re tired, are taking any sort of drugs/medication or have been drinking alcohol. It’s very easy to fall asleep while your cigarette is still burning
• Keep matches and lighters away from children – consider buying child resistant lighters and match boxes to reduce the risk.

For more safety tips, visit Smoking and e-cigarettes.