Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service wishes everyone a happy and safe Hanukkah

Date published: 17 December 2008

The 23rd of December 2008 sees the Jewish community begin the celebration of Hanukkah, the festival of lights, when many families celebrate by burning candles in a menorah.

County Fire Officer Barry Dixon said:”In the last year in Manchester we have had 79 incidents where accidental fires caused by candles have damaged property and forty two of those incidents caused injuries.

We want everyone to enjoy a happy and safe Hanukkah, by following our simple safety advice”.

So that everyone has a happy and safe Hanukkah Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service offer the following advice when using candles-

· Always put them on a heat resistant surface.

· Put them in proper holder - candles need to be held firmly upright by the holder so they won't fall over. The holder needs to be stable too, so it won't fall over either.

· Position them away from curtains. Don't put candles too near curtains or other fabrics - or furniture. And keep them out of draughts.

· Don’t put them under shelves. It’s easy to forget that there's a lot of heat above a burning candle. If you put it under a shelf or other surface then it can burn the surface. Make sure there's at least three feet (one metre) between a candle and any surface above it.

· Keep clothes and hair away. If there's any chance you could lean across a candle and forget it's there, put it somewhere else. You don't want to set fire to your clothes or your hair.

· Don’t move them when they are burning. Extinguish candles before moving them. Also, don't let anything fall into the hot wax like match sticks.

· Don’t leave them burning. Extinguish candles before you leave a room. Never go to sleep with a candle still burning. And never leave a burning candle or oil burner in a child's bedroom.

· Use a snuffer or a spoon to put them out. It’s safer than blowing them, which can send sparks and hot wax flying.

· Double check they are out. Candles that have been put out can go on smouldering and start a fire. Make sure they're completely out.

· Make sure you have a properly fitted working smoke alarm on each level of your home, so that in the event of a fire you and your family can have an early warning and gain the vital time to escape.


For a free Home Fire Risk Assessment call 0800 555 815 or for further information about smoke alarm maintenance and fire safety advice go to www.manchesterfire.gov.uk or www.firekills.gov.uk