Serious fire avoided in Cham retirement home

Photo: The candles on Advent wreaths should never be left unattended while lit.
 
On Wednesday afternoon, December 19, 2018, an automatic fire alarm was triggered in the Büel retirement home in Cham. According to the media release by the police, an 88-year-old resident lit the candle on an Advent arrangement and then fell asleep. The smouldering flame produced lots of smoke, which triggered the fire alarm. The fire brigade dealt with fire, and no-one was injured. The local Cham fire brigade, the Zug fire brigade, the building insurance and the Zug police were involved in the incident.
 
Never leave anything burning!
 
Advice from the Zug police:
 

• Never leave candles burning unattended.
• Fir branches quickly turn dry in a warm, dry apartment and can catch fire in a matter of seconds. Sprinkle your Advent wreath and Christmas tree regularly with water, and keep your Advent wreath in a cool place.
• Attach candles with a minimum safety margin of at least 25 cm from flammable materials. Use non-flammable candle holders.
• Never leave children unattended in a room with burning candles and keep matches away from children.
• Always have a manual fire extinguisher, a water bucket with a rag or a fire blanket ready to hand.
• In this way you can respond quickly, even if there is only a smell of burning or a small amount of smoke.