Smoking

The most common cause of fire death in the home is smoking. If you or someone in your home smokes, there are a number of simple steps you can take to prevent a fire from happening in your home:

Fire safety tips for smokers

• Ensure you have a working smoke alarm on every floor of your home (more advice on smoke alarms can be found on our smoke and carbon monoxide alarms page)
• Take extra care when you’re tired, taking prescription drugs, or if you have been drinking
• Do not smoke in bed
• Always use a proper ashtray – never a wastepaper basket and make sure your cigarette is properly extinguished
• Always keep matches and lighters out of the reach of children
• Never leave a lit cigarette, cigar or pipe lying around – put them out, right out!
• If you can do so safely, smoke outdoors

E-cigarettes fire safety tips

There have been a number of incidents in the UK caused by e-cigarettes or their chargers. To help reduce the risk, follow these safety tips:

• Never leave e-cigarettes that are on charge unattended for long periods
• Do not mix components of different e-cigarettes
• Only use the charger supplied
• Ensure you purchase your e-cigarette from a reputable source
• Check the e-cigarette carries CE certification