Richmond firefighters warn of home fire safety

Firefighters were called to a house fire at Kurrajong Village which started inside a chimney flue on Friday night and a fire at the Richmond Caltex Service station which damaged the contents and wall of a bathroom on Sunday.

Richmond fire station captain James Rowland said incidents like these could have been avoided if proper precaution was taken.

"Winter is the worst time of the year for home fires with more than 60 per cent of house fires happening between the cooler months of May and September," captain Rowland said.

''Almost half of those fires start in the kitchen. Firefighters see the devastating personal cost these fires can have on residents and the community, not only physically and emotionally, but there are also considerable financial costs if you have to make repairs to your home as a result of the fire.”

FRNSW principal partner, GIO, has revealed the average insurance claim for a fire in the home in the state is nearly $46,000 which is more than $4.6 million a month during winter.

Captain Rowland said many people seem to adopt the "it won’t happen me" attitude but the fact is it can.

“Tragically, home fires in the cooler months are also far more serious and are more likely to result in injuries and deaths. During this period last year, home fires resulted in 11 deaths and 230 injuries in NSW."

He added that the best way to keep your family out of harm’s way and identify potential risks is to make sure you have working smoke alarms and a practised home escape plan.

The free online home fire safety checklist can be found at: www.homefiresafetyaudit.com.au

Winter fire safety tips include: