With cooler weather around the corner and the nights beginning to draw in, many people will soon be firing up their fireplaces and wood-burning stoves.
Although open fires and wood burners undeniably add heat and ambience to a home, it’s important to remember that over 6,000 chimney fires occur in England each year.
In the last year, Lincolnshire Fire and Rescue attended 146 fires that started in a chimney – and many of these could have been prevented if precautions had been taken.
Chimney fires happen when soot or creosote deposits in the chimney catch light due to high temperatures or flames from a very hot fire extending into the outlet.
All chimney fires are extremely dangerous as internal flue temperatures can reach 1,100 degrees Celsius and heat radiated through chimney walls can cause a devastating house fire – especially in properties with thatched or wooden roofs.
Flames or sparks can leap from the chimney top or through cracks in the flue and ignite the roof or other parts of the house.
The bricks of the chimney can become hot enough to combust thatch, wooden beams – even adjoining houses or nearby trees.
Fire safety tips
Therefore, it’s important to remember a few basic fire safety tips to make sure you’re not at risk.
First of all, always make sure you have a working smoke alarm fitted to each floor of your house. They help save lives by giving you earlier warning of a fire and extra seconds to get out. Make sure, too, that you have a fire escape plan.
Chimney fires most commonly result from four basic causes – infrequent sweeping and cleaning, burning of unseasoned wood, improper appliance sizing, or overnight burning or smouldering of wood for long periods in wood burners.
So to reduce the risk of a fire, make sure your chimney is swept regularly by a professional, qualified chimney sweep such as those certified by the National Association of Chimney Sweeps.
Only burn seasoned wood purchased from reputable suppliers and make sure your wood burner isn’t too large for your room, always following manufacturer’s instructions for fuel loading and air flow.
Use a fire guard to protect against flying sparks from hot embers, and make sure the fire is completely out before you go to bed.
Also, remember that if you are in a rented property, your landlord has a duty of care towards you as a tenant to repair and maintain heaters and fuel burners.
Make sure your family can safely enjoy a cosy fire – take the proper precautions before the cold weather sets in.
Would you like more advice or a free Home Fire Safety Check? Please email the Community Fire Safety department or call 01522 582222.
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Debbie Robinson is the Deputy Community Fire Safety Manager at Lincolnshire Fire and Rescue. She shares a few basic fire safety tips to prevent chimney fires.
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The Lincolnite welcomes your views. All comments are reactively-moderated and must obey the house rules. Please stay on topic and be respectful of other readers.
Plans to build 600 new homes and a medical centre in Spilsby are up for approval next Thursday.
East Lindsey District Council’s Planning committee will be recommended to approve Gin Property’s proposals for Halton and Ashby Roads.
The outline application said the site include a new “Chapter Village” of around 200 homes for over 55s, 25 homes classed as “affordable”, rent to buy properties and living accommodation for older people alongside 200 open market houses.
A report before councillors said the development of the site was “important for enabling delivery of a much needed new doctors surgery in the town”.
They said the principle of the development was considered acceptable and there were no technical obstacles to the development.
“This application has been submitted in part as an enabler for the delivery of the new surgery facility.
“It is also relevant to note that the business plan for the delivery of the surgery, as approved by the NHS, relies substantially on the provision of a serviced site that would be enabled by the grant of planning permission for the delivery of housing on this allocated site.”
Spilsby Town Council and Hundleby Parish Council have supported the proposals for encouraging new infrastructure and amenities as well as promoting growth and business investment. However, they have raised some concerns.
Fenside Parish Council, along with a number residents, have objected due to concerns including the size of the development, the impact on local roads, schools and leisure facilities and increases in drainage and pollution issues.
A local pub will hold a fundraising evening of live music this week to support a charity helping anywhere up to 19 homeless people per night on Lincoln’s streets.
Let Them Eat Cake was founded in 2017 to help people on the streets of Lincoln with food, drink, first aid, compassion, support and hugs.
It has laundry facilities and showers based at [email protected] on Mint Lane, as well as an office where donations can be dropped off, located at 25 West Parade (Room 4).
Marion Foster, who runs the charity with her husband Graham, told The Lincolnite that numbers vary at the moment and they are currently helping between three and 19 people on the streets of Lincoln each time they go out.
Due to the coronavirus pandemic restrictions the couple were going out in Lincoln on their own, but the team of around 30 volunteers have been back out in the city over the last four weeks.
The charity relies on donations and it costs around £500 to run each month, including £50 to cover hot meals and snack bags which the volunteers take out the the homeless people of Lincoln. The volunteers go out on the streets between 7pm and 9pm every Monday evening, but also attend call-outs.
The Plough Boy, which is located off Burton Road in Lincoln, is holding a fundraising event with a raffle and auction during the evening of Saturday, October 30. Auction items include a meal for two from a MasterChef finalist, pictures from Peter Cutter, and an original signed artwork by David Foord.
Twisted Street Food will be providing the food with local musicians performing, including Rambling Yellow Bellies, Nigel Davies, Rob Oldfield, Kevin Todd, Kev Hackney, Dean Foxx, and The Curiosity Band. As well as performing, Kev Hackney organised the event which is hoping to raise as much money as possible for a worthy cause.
Let them eat cake has a team of around 30 volunteers.
Marion told The Lincolnite: “The situation has got a little better as more people have been put in temporary accommodation, but they then tell us that they’ve got no food.
“We can help people get food, a shower, their clothes washed, and a new sleeping bag or tent. We are almost at the end of the thinner sleeping bags with around 15 left, but they may not last until Christmas, and one night within the last month we helped 19 people.
“What is really lovely is that some of the people we have supported whilst they are on the streets, who are now in temporary accommodation, have wanted to donate things back to us.
“The fundraising event will go towards buying more sleeping bags and other items. If people didn’t donate and help support us we couldn’t do what we do, so events like this make a massive difference.
“The Plough Boy and Kev Hackney have been very supportive before and we can’t thank them enough for their help. A big thanks also to all our amazing volunteers who give up their time for free.”
The Sizzling Griddle and Plough Boy pub are located next to each other off Burton Road. | Photo: Steve Smailes for The Lincolnite
Ian Ray, who runs the Plough Boy, said many of the performers of the pub’s open mic nights are big supporters of Let Them Eat Cake.
He said: “It’s about getting the help to the people that need it, no matter what their situation is, and trying to alleviate some of the loneliness and suffering that comes with being homeless. We are all about supporting the community and want to do our bit to support the homeless of Lincoln.”
The money raised from the fundraiser will go towards new sleeping bags and also items to make up the snack packs. The charity is currently updating its Amazon Wish List with further items that they need people to donate.
People can join the charity as a volunteer or make donations by messaging the Facebook page. Donations can be taken to the Lincoln office, or to addresses in Birchwood and Saxilby where volunteers live – these can be provided upon messaging the page.
Two men have been arrested in Grimsby after a woman fell from a first-floor window in the early hours of Thursday morning.
Humberside Police were called to a property on Freeman Street following reports of a disturbance at 5.40am on Thursday morning.
When officers arrived it was discovered that a woman had fallen from a first-floor window.
The woman was taken to hospital to receive treatment for a head injury, which is not believed to be serious.
Two men have been arrested in connection with the incident, and officers are continuing enquiries to ascertain the circumstances that led to the woman falling.
A scene guard has been put in place on Freeman Street near to Riby Square and members of the public are being asked to avoid the area while police investigate.
If you have any information or may have witnessed the incident, call 101 and quote incident 67 of October 28.
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