MONTREAL – With summer just around the corner and the heat already settling in the city, the Service de sécurité incendie de Montréal (SIM) is warning smokers not to put out their cigarettes in flower pots.
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“These materials are composed of peat, moss and combustible chips and they also contain chemical fertilizers,” the organization wrote.
“All constitute potential sources of fire when they come into contact with a heat source.”
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SIM explained there can be four or five hours between the time that a cigarette is thrown into a pot and the appearance of the first flame.
Smokers are being reminded to use an ashtray or fire-resistant tin to avoid the risk of fire.
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“While the number of smokers continues to decrease, smokers’ supplies are still at the origin of many building fires in Quebec,” wrote the organization.
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A few helpful tips:
- Never smoke in bed
- Never leave a burning cigarette unattended
- Don’t place an ashtray on an unstable surface
- Never empty ashtrays into a trash can
- Never smoke in a place where there are flammable products
- Never smoke in the presence of flammable products contained in aerosol cans (e.g., hair sprays), oxygen cylinders etc
- Don’t put cigarette butts in pots
- Never put out a cigarette in a flower container, pot or basket, or in black earth, mulch or any other similar materials
Be cautious:
- Use an ashtray with a wide brim
- Keep lighters and matches out of the reach and sight of children
- Teach children about the dangers of fire
- Ask kids to tell an adult if they find lighters or matches
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