Chimney Fire Safety Week (7 to 13 September) provides a timely reminder to the borough’s residents and businessmen to make sure their chimney is ready for the winter months ahead.

As part of the national Fire Kills campaign, Sutton’s firefighters are urging householders to ensure their chimneys are safe, and to have them swept by a professional, qualified chimney sweep.

Most chimney fires are preventable. Regular inspection and cleaning of chimney flues will help prevent fires within chimneys.

The latest statistics show that there are still thousands of chimney fires a year in England, but most of these are preventable.

To keep yourself and your family safe from fire you should take care to have your chimney swept regularly, depending upon what fuel you burn, before the colder winter months set in and you begin to use your fire and chimneys again.
If the worst should happen, a smoke alarm can give you the extra time you need to escape in a house fire – make sure you test yours regularly.

Watch Manager Steve Mills from Wallington fire station said “ It is important that you keep your chimneys well maintained. When you start using your open fires again make sure you use a fire guard to protect against flying sparks and hot embers. It is also vital that fires are under control and guarded, or better still, put out before you go to bed.”