- Author
- Ahrens, M. | Mieth, J.
- Title
- Special Study of Massachusetts Candle Fires During 1999.
- Coporate
- National Fire Protection Association, Quincy, MA State Fire Marshal Office, MA
- Keywords
- candles | fire statistics | home fires | building fires | fire data | NFIRS
- Identifiers
- National Fire Incident Reporting System (NFIRS); candle users in Massachusetts fires, by age and sex; cause of Massachusetts candle fires by type of candle; types of holders in Massachusetts candle fires
- Abstract
- Candle fires are on the rise. Firefighters in the field had been telling both authors that the numbers were up, and, a few years ago, Ahrens witnessed a close call herself. A group of friends were just starting to end an evening together in one woman's home. The hostess had created a cozy atmosphere, with several candles of assorted sizes and types on a large, low, wide coffee table. She also had a sweet, old, longhaired cat. As the cat walked by the table, the tip of his tail caught a candle flame. Ahrens yelled "The cat's on fire," successfully stopping all conversation. Another woman, still seated on the couch, was able to pat the fire out before the cat noticed it. Nutmeg was fine, if a little embarrassed. Cats generally haven't learned "stop, drop and roll." Had we not noticed and dealt with the fire before he did, the situation could have turned very serious very quickly.