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Advent wreath (symbolic image)
Photo: Martin Gerten/ dpa
On Tuesday evening around 21 p.m., the police in Peine, Lower Saxony, received an emergency call: A fire had broken out in a single-family house in Schmedenstedt, it said.
At the scene, the emergency services met an 82-year-old woman. The elderly woman had probably managed to remove burning objects from the house and extinguish them there. This may have prevented the spread of the fire, it said.
However, the woman suffered such severe smoke poisoning that she had to be taken to a hospital in Peine in life-threatening condition.
The fire had been started by an Advent arrangement that had caught fire. There was no damage to the building. Fire brigades from Schmedenstedt, Dungelbeck and Peine as well as the rescue service were in action.
Thousands of additional fires during the Christmas season
Again and again during the Advent season there are fires caused by wreaths or arrangements that are equipped with real candles. The German Insurance Association assumes thousands of additional fires per year.
If you don't want to switch to LED lights, you should pay attention to fixed candle holders on the Advent wreath or on the Christmas tree. Candles should not be left unattended – not even if you leave the room for a short time. Young children should generally not be left alone with candles, lighters or matches. They could light or accidentally knock over candles.
Pets such as dogs and cats are also a potential danger. Burning candles should also not be placed in places with strong drafts and should not be placed near flammable objects such as curtains or wrapping paper.
ala/dpa