A SPATE of Melbourne house fires has sparked a warning by Sunshine firefighters to take care in the home.
A house in Gisborne was destroyed last Thursday, and fires also damaged homes in Fitzroy and St Kilda.
Sunshine station officer Don Darcey said the fire risk escalated as temperatures dropped, but there were steps people could take to stay safe. He singled out electric blankets, overloaded powerboards and older heaters as sources of danger.
“Things like leaving electric blankets on during the day or overnight are a big risk,” he said. “We also see a lot of problems with powerboards that are too loaded and causing shorts.”
A family of four escaped the Gisborne fire uninjured thanks to a working smoke alarm.
Mr Darcey said firefighters were called to far too many fires where smoke alarms had had their batteries removed.
“Operating smoke detectors are an effective way to keep safe and get an early alert if anything goes wrong,” he said. MFB assistant chief fire officer Rob Taylor said there were simple precautions people could take to help prevent house fires. “If you are in any doubt about your heating appliance,” he said, “replace it or get it checked by a professional and keep your heaters a safe distance from clothes, linen and other combustibles around the home.”
CFA and MFB advise people to:
■Ensure all heaters, including central heaters, are properly maintained.
■Make sure smoke alarm batteries have been changed and the alarms tested.
■Keep drying clothes at least a metre from heaters, especially electric bar heaters.
