Earlier this week a general store West of London caught fire and burned into flames. The store was under construction from the summer and the fire began in the basement early Tuesday morning.
Fire chief Brian McLaughlin says how to prevent house fires. “People should take steps to monitor their cooking and make sure they keep combustibles away from the stove and in the oven.”
Careless cooking and careless smoking are two of the main causes for house fires.
McLaughlin adds if a fire does occur to call 911 and leave immediately.
“Same with smoking materials, people should use an ash tray and make sure the buds are completely out. At the end of the day, they should take the cigarette buds and douse them with water to make sure they are completely out.”
He also says to discard cigarette buds in a metal trashcan for extra safety.
Smoke alarms are important to have in a house as they alarm those when a fire might be occurring. “Check the smoke alarms monthly, and change the battery annually. Most smoke alarms last generally for 10 years. Even though you are pressing the button and it sounds – after 10 years the chemical that recognizes the smoke slowly becomes depreciated and it doesn’t work as well as if it was new.”
Smoke alarms should be placed outside of a sleeping area on every floor. They can be bought at your local Walmart or hardware store.
