Harringay, Haringey - So Good they Spelt it Twice!
The danger of candles at Halloween - supermarket children's costumes are HIGHLY FLAMMABLE
I just went to Sainsbury's and bought my daughter a Witch's costume for £5.
Then a friend posted this video on Facebook about Claudia Winkleman who did exactly the same thing. Her daughter's dress caught fire from a candle in a pumpkin and the child basically went up in flames.
I've just checked the label of the costume I bought and it says the costume is highly flammable.
I feel like I've escaped a horrible fate.
I will never use candles again at Halloween and my daughter's costume is going in the bin.
You can get led tealights for a couple of quid.
Replies to This Discussion
-
Permalink Reply by pamish on
-
before you bin the costume, hang it up somewhere safe - outdoors - and set fire to it. Film it. Share the video as far as you can. And especially , send it to Sainsbury's managing director.
They all know now how dangerous these things are, but they carry on selling them. As they are classed as 'toys' they don't need to be fire safe.
Possibly one of the nastiest illustrations of what's wrong with the world.
-
Permalink Reply by michaelw on
-
It's worth noting that most clothes are pretty flammable, not just fancy dress.
The danger comes from open flames - this is what you need to be careful with.
Call me cynical, but my impression is that businesses that want to make money from selling unpleasant flame retardant chemicals may be a key driver for this campaign
-
-
If you watch the video you'll see this started as a one-woman campaign by someone who happens to be off the telly so has access to publicity, after her daughter was dreadfully burnt in one of these plastic costumes. Plastic sticks like napalm.
-
-
Many clothes are plastic-based, and cotton can also burn pretty well too.
Here's the London Fire Brigade on the subject:
http://www.london-fire.gov.uk/news/LatestNewsReleases_14May1599.asp...
London Fire Brigade’s Group Manager for Community Safety Mark Hazelton said:
“This was a terrible ordeal for not only Claudia’s daughter but her family and friends as well. Unfortunately though, accidents like this are not uncommon and this is a shocking reminder that candles and open flames can be lethal if you don’t keep an eye them.
“This is especially true if you are wearing clothing, such as fancy costumes, which often have tassels, capes and other adornments that can trail and easily catch light if they accidentally brush against a flame. That’s why it’s crucial that candles are placed well away from flammable items and clothing otherwise the results can be catastrophic.
“It is not only children in fancy dress who we are concerned about, we also see a number of incidents where vulnerable adults accidentally set their clothing or bedding alight because they are placed too close to candles, cookers or gas heaters.”
The Brigade’s top three candle safety tips are:
1) Keep candles well away from items that could catch fire like fancy dress costumes
2) Place them on a heat resistant surface, like a ceramic plate
3) Always place candles in a fire resistant container and make sure they are out of the reach of children
-
Permalink Reply by Michael Anderson on
-
How on earth can something that isn't flameproof be sold as a Halloween costume! It's outrageous that a big supermarket like this stocks an item when they must know that it's highly likely the child wearing it would be near a naked flame at some point during Halloween. Thank goodness you checked Donna. I wondered how many parent just chucked this in their shopping trolley automatically assuming that something like this would be safe?
I think Pam's suggestion is a good way to shame Sainsburys over this. Sainsburys also have a Facebook page if you'd like to alert several thousand people to what is being sold there
https://www.facebook.com/sainsburys
Children's nightclothes by law must be fire resistant, but these costumes get around the regulations because they are classified as toys. Despite the Fire Brigade asking for them to be withdrawn from sale the supermarkets have refused.
http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/claudia-winkleman-fancy-dress-...
-
Permalink Reply by John McMullan on
-
Beware the wicked grocer.
-
Permalink Reply by Malcolm on
-
I think you've got this the wrong way round - ALL clothing is flammable, and all children's clothing is allowed to be flammable EXCEPT nightclothes - which have to be flame resistant, not "flameproof". That nice warm fleece you put them in to keep them warm? That'll burn. A cotton top? Yep, that burns too.
Despite being worn in the dark, Halloween costumes aren't nightclothes. Nor is it some great conspiracy by the supermarkets.
What happened to Claudia's daughter was horrible. Something similar happens to 750 people each year, of which 80 cause fatalities. The high-risk categories are actually teenage girls and the elderly - not small children in Halloween costumes.
It's entirely possible that dousing every piece of clothing in fire proofing chemicals would cause more harm both to people and the environment.
-
-
Nudity in doors, it's the only way,
-
-
Don't you think it's bizarre Malcolm, that costumes such as these, which have the sole purpose of being worn at a time of year when candles and lanterns are burning, aren't flame resistant? It's a bit like selling inflatable swimming aids that dissolve on contact with water.
-
-
The chemicals that you have to use to make things flame retardant are not very pleasant in general, and it will be particularly difficult to make the loose tassels etc retardant. Here's some info on the chemicals concerned: http://greensciencepolicy.org/topics/flame-retardants/
The basic reality is that open flames are dangerous, and people need to take precautions.
Much of the flame retardancy industry was pushed forward in concert with the tobacco industry, who wanted to avoid pressure on cigarettes, including killing the idea of 'fire safe' cigarettes that would be self-extinguishing. e.g.:
http://www.chicagotribune.com/ct-met-flames-tobacco-20120508-story....
-
-
Just realised I called you Malcom! Apologies
© 2024 Created by Hugh.
Powered by
