Parents urged to swap candles for LED light for Halloween

Parents are being urged to swap candles for LED lights this year to prevent accidents on Halloween.

The plea has come from Warwickshire Fire and Rescue services and the County Council’s Trading Standards in a bid to reduce the risk of children’s costumes and Halloween decorations catching fire.

Warwickshire County Councillor John Horner, Portfolio Holder for Community Safety said: “Whilst children wear fancy dress outfits across the year, it is at Halloween that the danger of costumes catching light is often at its greatest, due particularly to the use of candles placed on the ground to light pumpkins.”

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Warwickshire Trading Standards recently carried out fire safety tests on a small number of children’s Halloween costumes including vampire capes, witches and pumpkin outfits, which are often purchased online.

Flammability tests of the fabric showed that the costumes met the flame-retardant requirements of the toy safety regulations. But Trading Standards are pointing out that if the costumes caught fire they would burn but slowly, which would give time for parents to take action,

In light of tests, parents are being urged to swap open flame candles inside pumpkins for safer LED candles to reduce the risk of any costumes catching on fire.

Warwickshire County Councillor Philip Johnson, chair of the council’s overview and scrutiny committee added: “This year Trading Standards and Fire and Rescue are urging parents to protect their children by replacing naked flames with LED, electric candle, electric tea lights and other neon lighting.”

Related topics: