Mother and children unable to return home after candle fire

Summarised from 2 outlets · Updated 15 Oct, 11:02 · Archive

A mother and her children cannot return to their Chelmsford flat after a candle sparked a fire on 14 October.

A mother and her children have been unable to return to their Chelmsford flat in Moulsham after a candle sparked a fire on 14 October. The blaze started when the candle was left burning near a bed.

The property's sprinkler system activated and successfully extinguished the fire. However, the water damage caused by the sprinklers has made the flat uninhabitable for the family.

Watch manager Mark Curtis from Chelmsford Fire Station offered safety advice following the incident. He said candles should always be placed in stable, heat-resistant holders, well away from bedding, curtains and other flammable materials. He advised that candles should be put out before leaving a room or going to bed and never left burning unattended. He suggested battery-operated candles as a safer alternative.

How it is being reported

• Mother and children 'unable to return home' after blaze started by candleA Chelmsford family cannot return home after a candle caused a flat fire in Moulsham on October 14; sprinklers put out the blaze but caused water damage.Echo (Basildon) · 15 Oct, 10:40
• Mother and children 'unable to return home' after blaze started by candleA Chelmsford family cannot return home after a candle caused a flat fire in Moulsham on October 14; sprinklers put out the blaze but caused water damage.Colchester Gazette · 15 Oct, 10:40

In this story: Chelmsford · Moulsham · Chelmsford Fire Station · Mark Curtis

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