Dangers of fire can be avoided by homeowners

NEWS coverage of the dev astating loss of life and property that can result from fires should bring home to all householders the need to take preventa tive measures.

Fire is an ever present threat even in a modern house equipped with smoke detectors says Dr Piet Botha chairman of the Nationlink estate agency group The drought condi tions affecting some parts of the country also raise the likelihood of veld and forest fires that can easily spark off home fires.

Recent fire statistics from the US however show an alarming degree of complacency among homeowners and Botha believes figures in this country would show a sim ilar neglect of basic pre cautions.

For example the US fig ures show that while 40 of houses damaged by fire had no smoke alarms most of those with detectors derived no benefit as 56 of the systems had no bat teries and 17 had faulty batteries.

Smoke detectors are comparatively cheap and are becoming more com monplace in South Africa as many security compa nies now offer them with their burglar alarm sys tems But they are no use without regular cleaning and a monthly check to see that they are activated says Botha.

Homeowners should also note that the insur ance coverage for their homes and the contents in the event of fire may be invalidated unless they have taken other steps to eliminate hazards and limit fire damage Gas bottles should never be kept indoors for example and proper lightning protection must be installed if you have a thatch roof says Botha.

Electrical compliance certificates required when a house or flat is sold are a big step forward in fire pre vention but a regular check of the state of the wiring should still be car ried out in older homes The leads for all electrical appliances should be checked frequently and care should be taken to ensure that wall plugs are not overloaded.

And while electrical faults are a major cause of home fires they are not the only danger says Botha Open flames from candles often used to provide light and deter mosquitoes are a constant danger.

Those who have a fire place in their living room should also ensure that live coals cannot fall out onto the floor and start a fire and should regularly check flues and chimneys for cracks or other damage.

Braai fires can also eas ily get out of hand espe cially if they are close to trees or a thatched lapa so enthusiasts should make sure they always have the garden hose to hand and that the fire is properly extinguished before they go to bed.

And says Botha just in case the worst happens while you are cooking indoors you should always keep a working fire extin guisher in your kitchen It could save your house or even your life