SMOKERS are being urged to make changes to their smoking habits, with firefighters concerned about the number of housefires caused by cigarettes.
New data has revealed that in 2020-21, 17 people died in preventable house fires, and in seven of the cases, smoking was a possible contributing factor.
Fire Rescue Victoria and Country Fire Authority said lit and improperly discarded cigarettes were a leading cause of house fire fatalities, with firefighters across Victoria responding to more than 200 house fires sparked by smoking materials.
Acting Fire Rescue Commissioner Gavin Freeman said firefighters were deeply concerned by the incidents.
“Time and again, Victorian firefighters find themselves at house fires sparked by smoking materials, which are much more likely to turn deadly,” Mr Freeman said.
He said several of the fatalities were the result of people falling asleep with lit cigarettes.
CFA chief officer Jason Heffernan said smoking in bed or smoking while affected by alcohol, medication or other drugs dramatically increased a person’s risk of dying in a house fire.
“Beds, couches and other soft furnishings are highly flammable, so if you fall asleep with a lit cigarette on these surfaces you could have just seconds to escape,” chief
officer Heffernan said.
“Quitting smoking is the safest option from both a health and fire safety perspective, but if that isn’t possible then firefighters recommend smoking outdoors.
“Make sure you butt out your cigarettes and ensure they are fully extinguished before putting them in the bin, as rubbish and plants can and do ignite due to improperly discarded cigarettes.
“Furthermore, smoking materials frequently cause bush and grassfires, so I urge all smokers to take the time to fully extinguish their cigarettes this summer.”
Mr Freeman said if people were going to smoke inside the house, they should install smoke alarms in every room.
“Only working smoke alarms will wake you up in the event of a house fire, providing crucial time to evacuate,” he said.
“It is also very important that lighters and matches are kept well away from children, as it is not uncommon for young children to
accidentally spark major house fires with lighters and matches.”
More information can be found at: frv.vic.gov.au/smoking-practices and cfa.vic.gov.au/plan-prepare/fires-in-the-home.
