After the Fire: FDNY Fire Safety Education Unit Discusses the Danger of Candles

 

Following a tragic fire in Manhattan that killed two people on July 8, the FDNY’s Fire Safety Education Unit visited the Harlem neighborhood to educate residents about keeping their homes fire safe.

Candle fires are preventable. If you choose to use candles, the FDNY urges you to exercise extreme caution and follow candle safety guidelines.

Members of the Fire Safety Education Unit handed out informational materials in the upper Manhattan neighborhood and spoke with passersby about fire safety. They also spoke of the dangers of candles, giving away safe ‘candles’ that are lit by an LED bulb.

The fire

Fire marshals determined the fire was caused by a candle in a fifth floor apartment at 611 W. 148 St.

It was first reported at 8:41 p.m. and quickly escalated to a second alarm before being deemed under control at 9:31 p.m.

A man and his 6-year-old godson died when they jumped from a sixth-story window to escape the smoky fire. Eight others, including two firefighters, sustained injuries in the fire and were taken to area hospitals in stable condition.

Learn more about how to keep your home fire safe.