A fire chief has warned of the dangers of candles in the home after a family had a lucky escape.

Oxfordshire's chief fire officer, Tom Carroll, spoke out after the blaze at a house in Campbell Road, Oxford. A candle left burning next to curtains in a bedroom started a blaze, although the family was in the garden at the time and were not injured.

Mr Carroll said the family had had a very lucky escape, especially as the house was not fitted with smoke alarms.

He said: "Candles are very special to us all and their use is increasing all the time. Unfortunately, this has led to a dramatic increase in the number of fires we are attending in people's homes.

"Tragically, last year, two people died in Oxfordshire in a fire caused by candles."

He said simple measures to follow were:

**Never leave a burning candle unattended

**Always read and follow manufacturers' instructions on candles and remove all packaging before use

**Candles and nightlights must always be put in a non-flammable purpose-made holder, even nightlights which are in their own aluminium cap must be put on a non-flammable dish

**Ensure lighters and matches are kept out of the reach of children

**Ensure candles are not placed near flammable items, such as curtains and decorations

**Make sure the candle is upright and do not move candles when lit

**Site candles well out of the reach of children and pets

**Keep candles away from draughts and extinguish them properly

Mr Carroll also advised all homeowners to ensure they had a working alarm on each floor, and to test it once a month using the test button.

He also recommended replacing smoke alarm batteries once a year and wiping and vacuuming alarms every 12 months to keep them free from dust.

For more information, call the Oxfordshire County Council Community Fire Safety Helpline on 01865 719900.