A frightening video of a lit Menorah catching fire in a Jewish home this week was widely shared on social media, highlighting the importance of homes having working smoke alarms and hand fire extinguishers.
In the surveillance footage, a Menorah is seen lit on a table, while children’s voices can be heard in the home. The Menorah is then seen catching fire, which quickly spreads to the floor beneath the table.
A smoke alarm is then heard, and a man is seen running down the stairs, and then running for a fire extinguisher, which he uses to quickly douse the flames.
VIDEO:
The video is a reminder that smoke detectors and fire alarms may be some of the most important items in your home when it comes to your family’s safety.
According to the U.S. Fire Administration (USFA), smoke detectors should be tested at least once a month and batteries should be replaced at least once or twice a year. A good way to remember to do this is to change your batteries when you change your clocks for daylight saving time — when you spring forward or fall back.
Make sure to review your smoke detector’s user manual — you may need to check more often if any of the following apply:
The detector often gives false alarms.
The alarm emits short beeps regularly without anyone touching it.
Frequent kitchen smoke has caused it to activate often, which may wear it out faster.
There are two main types of smoke detectors, according to the USFA:
Battery-powered: This type can be susceptible to defective or worn-out batteries. Monthly testing is critical. Never put old batteries into your smoke detectors and fire alarms. If it beeps every few minutes, the batteries need to be replaced.
Hardwired: These detectors are powered by your home’s electrical system, but they usually have backup batteries so the device can remain operational in a power outage. Hardwired smoke detectors still require monthly testing to help ensure that both batteries and parts are functioning properly. If they beep every now and then, it is an indicator that it may need to be replaced.
Look inside your smoke alarm for a date! Between every 7 to 10 yrs (or 5 to 7 yrs, if you want to be safer), you’ll need to throw away your smoke alarm and replace it with a new one.
Thank Gd he didn’t pour water over it!! Or it would have been a very different story. Must have fire extinguishers for oil and electrical fires
Most houses don’t have fire extinguishers 🧯 at all … maybe it’s a time to buy and have one just in case
When there is no door, We go by the right side coming into the house from the main door, all the way through.
In this case the front door seems to be near the steps, so by the next doorway without a door it is placed on the right side as you enter it from the room with the nenora.
If for various reasons we can’t calculate from the front door (2 entrances for example), then we go by ikar/tafel.
Use silver foil to cover all surfaces. Common Sense here…
Thank you for posting this. The family is brave to let us all in to their private house for the sake of helping others.
DONT BUY THE PLASTIC PREFILLED MENORAH KITS
THEY MELT AND BURN DOWN HOUSES .
As soon as you light four the heat melts the plastic , fire erupts and burn everything , NEVER LEAVE CANDLES BURNING UNATTRNDED
Having working smoke detectors are super important.
Whats also very important is preventitive. To have either aluminum or silver underneath fire just in case so that if something does happen, it doesnt spread and will just stay on the surface. Plastic does catch easier, so a good surface is important to have underneath as preventitive.
Lets all take this as a lesson to be cautious whenever we have a candle or candles lit!
Im glad that it all ended well 🙂
May we all be zoche to much light life from this special Yom Tov of Chanuka!
Cool under pressure
From what I can see the Mezuza of the living room MIGHT be on the wrong side, i.e. it ought to be on the right towards the living room. When there is no door (with Heker Tzir) we follow the rule on the right going towards the main / most important room, in this case the living room.
Please ask a Sofer (not a Rov) with pictures.
Ask a Rov if you have to Bentch Gomel.
Besuos Tovos
Why is it on a plastic tablecloth.
Thats not too smarr
An even better idea is to stay by the candles and not leave them unattended.
Moshich now !
Please always have a metal tray or foil under all candles to catch the dripping oil/wax and slow the chance of fire.
BH there was a happy ending!