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A woman's remarkable escape from a terrifying house fire in Craigieburn is a stark reminder about the dangers of unattended candles and the need for working smoke alarms in homes.
The woman woke to her morning phone alarm shortly before 7am on 4 April, only to discover her house was on fire and burning fiercely.
A housemate had left a candle burning in a back bedroom, causing the property to go up in flames.
Luckily, the woman was able to safely evacuate the property.
Firefighters arrived at the scene at 7am, within three minutes, bringing the fire under control at 7.15am.
Nobody else was home at the time of the fire and fortunately no injuries were sustained in the blaze. However, the house was deemed uninhabitable, due to the heat, smoke and water damage.
Smoke alarms in the property were not working at the time of the incident – so had it not been for the phone alarm, the consequences could have been fatal.
FRV Incident Controller Commander Alex Faris said the woman was incredibly lucky to escape the incident unharmed.
"It takes just minutes for a fire to take hold, and the smell of smoke will not wake you up," Alex said.
"If you're going to burn a candle in a home, please ensure you have a working smoke alarm in every bedroom, living and hallway area to provide you with the early detection should a fire break out.
"While it is easy to do, please never leave a burning candle unattended."
An alarming 67 per cent of fatal house fires in Victoria last year occurred in the living room or bedroom, both popular locations to burn candles in the home.
FRV Deputy Commissioner Community Safety, Joshua Fischer, said safety precautions must be in place if you are going to burn candles.
"Candles should only be lit on stable, uncluttered surfaces that won't burn, and placed well away from curtains and other flammable materials," Joshua said.
CFA Chief Officer Jason Heffernan said before lighting any candles, people should check their smoke alarms were in working order.
"It only takes a few minutes to clean and test your smoke alarm, by pushing the test button and waiting for the three beeps. It's a small step, but one that can save lives," Jason said.
"The best way to protect yourself and others from a fire is by installing interconnected smoke alarms, so that when any alarm activates, all will sound you to safety."
FRV and CFA recommend candles, incense and oil burners should:
- Only be lit in rooms with smoke alarms
- Be supervised and extinguished before you leave home or go to sleep
- Only be used on stable, uncluttered surfaces that won't burn
- Be used at least one metre away from curtains and other items that can burn
- Be kept out of reach of children and pets – when lit or unlit
- Not be used if oxygen is used in the home
- Be lit carefully - keep your hair and any loose clothing away from the flame
- Consider an alternative to an open flame like a battery-operated candle or torch.
