Smoking Warning Rekindles Thame Tragedy

A WARNING from local Fire fighters for National ‘NO Smoking Day’ tomorrow, March 9, holds particular poignancy for Thame residents, one of whom died in a fire started by a smouldering cigarette.
Oxfordshire residents are being warned that smoking cigarettes is not only financially costly – just one puff could cost them their life!
In October, 2003, a woman died in a fire in Langdale Road, Thame, when under the influence of alcohol, she discarded a cigarette into a waste bin in her bedroom.

Oxfordshire County Council?s Fire & Rescue Service is urging smokers to consider giving up or at least to be more aware of the dangers. They say that more people die in fires caused by smoking than any other source. Tobacco, especially cigarette tobacco, is manufactured to stay alight. It can quietly smoulder out of sight, starting a slow and deadly fire.

David Heycock, Community Fire Safety Manager, said: ?During my career as a firefighter, I have seen the tragic consequences of children dying in fires caused by matches and lighters they should not have had access to. Make sure that your lighters and matches are kept out of the reach of children and that your cigarettes are extinguished safely.?

In this country someone dies every three days from a fire caused by a cigarette. Follow this advice to make sure you are not one of them:

? Never light up if you need to lie down. Despite the risk of falling asleep or setting the bed on fire, people are still smoking in bed
? Don?t leave a cigarette, cigar or pipe lying around. They can easily overbalance, land on a carpet or a newspaper, and start a fire
? Use a proper ashtray. Make sure the ashtray is heavy, cannot tip over easily, and is made of a material that will not burn
? Never tap your ash into a wastepaper basket. Always use an ashtray