As much as we would like to think that we have the basics of safety down, accidents can often – and very easily – occur, and the experiences and warnings of others can really bring this point home.
This is frighteningly evident through the story of Joanne Barker, a British mum who narrowly escaped tragedy after her discarded cigarette butt recently set her home on fire.
According to reports, the 31-year-old had just finished smoking a cigarette in her garden when the wind blew the butt into a pile of rubbish bags. The bags caught fire, sending flames ripping through her garden, and in no time at all both her home and that of her neighbour were alight.
Recalling the terrifying moment she first spotted the fire, Joanne told The Globe: “Within ten minutes of me going inside, I looked out of my little boy’s bedroom window and couldn’t believe what I was seeing - the amount of smoke was incredible.”
“At first I thought our central heating boiler had gone on fire - I never thought it would be the cigarette,” she added.
Thankfully, Joanne and her young son managed to escape before either of them got hurt, and emergency services soon arrived on the scene. Apparently, it took firefighters a full hour to extinguish the fire.
Now, in the wake of what could very well have been a tragedy, Joanne has shared her story as a warning to all smokers. Her message is clear: always make sure your cigarette or butt are completely extinguished before discarding them – it could save lives.
