Kent Fire and Rescue Service warn that the next fire strike will be this Saturday 21 June from 10am until 5pm.

Leading up to that date and running into the Sunday, there is also a voluntary overtime ban across England and Wales from 9am on 13 June until 10am on 21 June and from 5pm on 21 June to 9am on 22 June.

Keep your flat safe from fire

With that in mind, KFRS have released a video with some helpful tips from Firefighter Kerrie Moncrieff about things homeowners can do to keep flats safe from fire.

Causes of fires in flats

Concentrate when you are cooking. It is very easy to get distracted - by small children or a telephone call. That's when accidents can happen, especially if you have been drinking. A third of people who die in fires have alcohol in their blood!

The fire brigade recommends that you don't use a traditional chip pan but choose one of the modern electric thermostatically-controlled versions or, better still, oven chips.

Electric fan heaters are also regular culprits for starting fires. Keep them well aware from curtains and don't dry your washing on them.

Talking of electricity, checking to see that plug sockets are not overloaded is crucial because these have been identified as a frequent cause of fires in flats.

Candles and tea lights should never be left burning if you are not in the room.

Don't store petrol or motorcycles in your flat!

How to stay safe if there is a fire

But, most important of all is to regularly check your smoke alarm so that you are warned in time to escape.

Having an escape plan is a good idea and ensuring that the major exits from the flat are kept uncluttered by bikes, wheelchairs and mobility scooters is very important.

In the dark and panic of a fire situation, it could be very easy for the occupants to become disorientated and injure themselves on such obstructions.

For buildings and commercial premises, there are some useful tips on preventing fire here.

Find out more about how Spy Alarms can help to protect your Kent business from fire.

Get a FREE site survey for a new fire system

At Spy Alarms, we have a wealth of experience in the installation of fire systems. Not only that, our engineers also specialise in the maintenance and servicing of fire systems as well. For a FREE site survey, please get in touch with our Kent or London team today.