Put it out, right out!

Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service is urging all smokers to ensure they correctly dispose of cigarettes after a recent spate of fires throughout the Service area.

On Wednesday (23 July), crews from Aberystwyth attended three separate calls to bin and plant pot fires in the town, all caused by discarded cigarettes. On the same day, crews from Swansea Central attended a small fire involving wooden decking on a fourth floor apartment balcony in Copper Quarter, Pentrechwyth. This was also the result of a poorly discarded cigarette. Crews used a hose reel jet, lines and ladder to bring the fire under control.

Crews from Swansea Central and Swansea West attended a further incident on Thursday night (24 July) at a two storey semi-detached residential property in Portmead. The fire involved a waste paper bin, which had set alight due to smoking materials which had been left in the ashtray and fallen into the bin. Crews extinguished the fire using two breathing apparatus sets, a hose reel jet, a thermal imaging camera and a positive pressure ventilation fan.

Station Manager Peter Greenslade said, “The occupier had gone to bed before the fire broke out and fortunately the property had smoke detectors which alerted him to the fire. He was treated for possible smoke inhalation and given oxygen therapy as a precaution.”

Head of Community Safety Karen Jones said, “Smoking is the single biggest cause of fire deaths in the UK. These incidents highlight how important it is to properly extinguish cigarettes and take care when disposing of them both at home and when out and about. Never throw cigarette ends out of car windows – they could start a fire. This is particularly relevant during our recent warm weather.”

Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service offer a free Home Fire Safety Check. If you, or someone you know has concerns about fire safety in the home, call 0800 169 1234.​