A WOMAN was taken to hospital after an unattended candle caused a bedroom fire in Carterton.

The fire broke out at the house in Acacia Avenue yesterday afternoon. The woman called Oxfordshire Fire and Rescue at 4.30pm after her smoke alarm went off.

Three fire engines from Bampton, Burford and Rewley Road were on the scene within minutes and were faced with a 'plume of smoke' coming from the first floor window.

Crews wearing breathing apparatus quickly entered to extinguish the blaze.

The woman was treated by firefighters before being handed over to South Central Ambulance service and taken to hospital for checks.

Incident Commander Nathan Crockford said: “This is the second candle-related incident Oxfordshire Fire and Rescue Service have dealt with this weekend, and is a timely reminder of the need to observe candle safety and to extinguish them if you leave a room. 

"At this time of year candles are increasingly popular. Fortunately on this occasion the occupier had working smoke alarms on each floor, which alerted her to the fire and allowed plenty of time to escape”.

The fire service has issued a series of safety tips for people planning to use them at home.

  • Always place candles firmly in a proper holder so they don’t fall over - the candle should be standing straight up.
  • Always place candles  on a heat-resistant surface. Be especially careful with night lights and tea lights. These get hot enough to melt plastic such as the top of a TV and the side of a bath tub.
  • Place scented candles in a suitable glass or metal container that can withstand the heat of the liquid and will not leak. Scented candles turn to liquid in order to release their fragrance.
  • Always place candles away from Christmas trees, plants, flowers or other foliage, curtains, other fabrics or furniture, ribbons, greetings cards and decorations, as well as any draughts.
  • Keep candles out of the reach of children and pets.
  • Remember to keep them away from clothes and hair. If there’s any chance you could forget a candle is there and lean across it, put it somewhere else.
  • Never leave candles unattended
  • Put out candles before you leave a room and before you go to bed - Use a snuffer or a spoon to put them out. Blowing them can send sparks and hot wax flying.