FIREFIGHTERS have issued a warning about the dangers of lighting candles during the festive season after a mum and daughter had to be rescued from their home.
Firefighters were called to a blaze in a semi-detached home in Roker Close, Aspley, in the early hours of yesterday.
The fire was caused by a candle which had been left burning on the side of the bath.
Stockhill Fire Station manager Martin Bills, who attended the incident, said: "The mother and daughter were woken by the sound of a loud bang from the bathroom. By the time our crew arrived the smoke was waist-height upstairs, the bath was burned, the shower screen shattered and water was leaking from the shower fitting.
"The room was, basically, destroyed – a graphic demonstration of how much damage can be caused by a tea-light that was not in a holder and was left alight, unattended on the side of the bath. The mother and daughter were led to safety by firefighters and taken to hospital for treatment. Thankfully their injuries weren't serious, but their bathroom is in a terrible mess."
The blaze happened at around 4.30am, and the house was not fitted with a working smoke alarm.
The mum and daughter were taken to the Queen's Medical Centre, but allowed home later that day.
Now the incident has prompted the Notts Fire and Rescue Service to warn others to avoid similar mistakes.
Mr Bills said: "Tea-lights need to be put in holders to keep them safe.
"The metal container that the candle is held in is not enough, as it can get extremely hot and then melt or burn the surface it stands on.
"This house didn't have any smoke alarms fitted, so the occupants were fortunate to escape with only slight injuries. "The bleep of a smoke alarm would have given them extra warning and that might have prevented them from inhaling the smoke and could have avoided some of the damage to the house.
"Our advice is to fit smoke alarms to every floor of your property and to close doors at night so that, if you do have a fire, it reduces its chances of spreading."