Wiltshire Fire and Rescue: Stay safe this Halloween

Wiltshire Fire & Rescue Service is urging people to stay safe this Halloween so that their celebrations don’t become a terrifying experience for all the wrong reasons.

Every year at Halloween, many adults and children are injured when candles or fireworks have ignited flammable costumes and hair. Plastic capes and bin liners, often used as costumes, are also fire risks.

Homemade lanterns made from hollowed pumpkins and candles can be extremely hazardous if the candle tips over, it could set light to materials such as costumes, curtains, clothes, and furniture, and start a serious fire.

Lanterns should never be made from plastic bottles or other containers which, if handled carelessly, could result in burns and also cause a fire. There is also the danger that the previous contents of the bottle may be combustible.

Group Manager Perry Payne, from Wiltshire Fire & Rescue Service’s community safety department, said: “We don’t want to stop people enjoying Halloween, but we do want them to celebrate safely by following some simple advice, both in the run up to the day and on 31 October itself. We are asking parents to think very carefully about the fire risks before encouraging children to make their own Halloween lanterns. We also want to encourage parents to only buy Halloween costumes and masks that are labelled as flame resistant. Children should be kept away from naked flames at all times.”

GM Payne added that if people are thinking of decorating their home with lighting or special effects, then extra care should be taken not to overload electrical sockets. “Decorative lights should always be switched off at the mains last thing at night or if the bulbs need to be changed. Most importantly, homes should be fitted with smoke alarms all year round, and these should be checked regularly to provide a life-saving early warning if fire does occur.”

For more fire safety advice, visit www.wiltsfire.gov.uk