House fires can get out of control quickly and can often lead to catastrophic consequences. "My team will often speak to customers who say having a smoke alarm or fire extinguisher potentially made a big difference to the outcome of a house fire. "They'll say, 'My smoke alarm woke me up' or 'I was awake, but the smoke alarm raised the alarm'. Time and time again people say that if it hadn't been for the smoke alarm, there could have been far more serious consequences." Other common issues that are not seasonal but regularly cause fires include overcharging tools that have batteries, leaving cooking unattended, and children playing with matches or lit candles.

Source: New Zealand Herald June 10, 2021 12:00 UTC