Winter has once again come around in South Africa, luckily we are blessed with a moderately warm winter compared to many other countries, but along with this moderate winters comes very dry and windy conditions—perfect scenario for a fire.

Given the recent flurry of devastating fires that have occupied the news lately, regarding the Knysna fires and the deadly flames that consumed the Grenfell Tower in London, a lot of questions have been raised by homeowners who have become very concerned about this reality—fires happen. So, it only seems fit that we at Jerome Schofield cc insurance brokers (JSib) wrote a piece about what the leading causes of fires are and preventative measures that can be implemented to reduce the risks.

There are safety precautions one can take to avoid fires starting in the home. Below are some of the most common causes of house fires that are preventable. Please, we urge all to make the necessary adjustments needed so that everyone can prevent their own homes from being the cause of massive devastations.

1. Smoking

Smoking in the house is so dangerous, specifically smoking in the bedroom and in lounges. Yes, in South Africa and in Durban people still do this. Did you know that fires started in the bedroom or lounge make up 73% of all house fire fatalities? If a cigarette bud isn’t correctly put out or disposed, it can continue burning for a few minutes. Anything burning in your house for a few minutes unsupervised is a big no. Daily, cigarettes come into contact with flammable materials like curtains, sheets, couches, carpets, clothing, pillows and other highly flammable goods. Those are fire situations waiting to be left alone.

Let’s all agree that it’s best not to smoke in the house.

2. Flammable Liquids

We all know what flammable liquids and chemicals are, because all flammable liquid containers have that little “highly flammable” stamp on it. When you see that stamp on your bottle or can, don’t store it away in a cupboard that has open wires. Store them correctly. Did you see the that huge explosion which occurred in China two year ago (2015)? That was from chemicals that weren’t correctly stored. Hopefully, you won’t be storing chemicals like this in your home. I’m quite sure that would be against regulations.

3. Curious Kids

Kids, please just listen to your parents. There is a reason moms and dads want to keep matches out of your reach.

Children loves to explore, and that’s not a bad thing. It only becomes dangerous when it’s not overseen. It’s a good idea for parents to explore with their children and allow them to discover Earth with them. Children love new things and sometimes they want to see what happens when certain things are set on fire. To be extra safe, parents can always put a smoke alarm in their child’s room. Parents can also ensure that they’re well aware of what to do in case of a fire by practicing a home escape plan with them. Teach them to “STOP, DROP, COVER and ROLL”. Another thing that can save your life, save your children and your home is teaching them their home address and teaching the numbers of who to call in the case of a catastrophe.

4. Heating

Simple, yet so many don’t know it or they try get extra warm by putting their socks or blankets on heaters. Portable heaters should be at least one metre away from anything that could easily catch fire. Furniture, curtains, laundry, clothes and even yourself. One metre away. And for those of you who have a furnace, get it inspected once a year to make sure it is working to safety standards.

5. Cooking equipment

A friend of mine was telling me about a time she was cooking muesli in the oven with coconut flakes. These flakes caught on fire and POOF! Flames flaring from the oven. When they tried opening the oven to put it out, the oxygen only encouraged the fire to burn more furiously.

Pots and pans can overheat very easily. It does happen, and I know it’s difficult to watch the stove when you have a crying toddler. Having household chores means multitasking is your middle name, but if someone can’t help, it’s worth letting those chores wait or taking the pan off the heat to attend to those chores. As brokers, we’ve dealt with this before and it’s tragic.

6. Faulty wiring

Just the other day, a client of ours made a fire claim. The cause? Faulty wires. Homes with inadequate wiring can cause fires from electrical hazards. It happens in Durban more often than you know. As Durban based brokers, we know because we deal with these kinds of claims quite often. How do you know if you have faulty wires you ask? Some signs are obvious like  lights dimming when you use another appliance, or disconnecting an appliance in order for another to work. Fuses blow or trip the circuit frequently. Other signs that aren’t obvious will need a licensed electrician to inspect your house.

6. Braais

In Durban, we’re lucky to be able to braai outside all year round. Generally, our braais are blazing wood fires…

We should probably keep branches, plants, tablecloths  and cotton clothing away from the flames. Everyone likes a nice braai place anyways, so keep it regularly maintained, cleaned the braai with soapy water and clean any removable parts. And should you be using a gas braai check the gas bottle for any leaks before you use it each time.

*The above tips are a good guide to help you and your loved ones avoid a fire in your home. However, it’s a good idea to protect yourself with adequate home and content insurance. There is over R1 billion worth of uninsured houses and household content that was destroyed in the Knysna fires last week. That’s far too many people who are left homeless.