Pauline Taylor was a 74-year-old grandmother who lived alone in a flat in Huddersfield. She had been a regular smoker throughout her life. In early 2015, her health deteriorated and she became bed-bound. Despite requests from her daughters to stop smoking, she continued to do so in bed.
She had several daily visits from her supportive family, care staff, and the district nursing team and received daily applications of emollients for her psoriasis.
On 29 May 2015, Pauline received a visit from one of her carers late in the evening and was presenting as expected. However, just under five hours later the care line was activated, and West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service and members of her family were alerted. The fire crew entered the property using breathing apparatus but unfortunately Pauline had died. The subsequent Coroner’s hearing found that matches and emollient creams had accelerated the fire and contributed to its intensity. Pauline’s daughters have since been campaigning alongside us to raise public and health professional awareness around this issue.
Why should you be concerned?
Regular use of emollients can lead to them soaking into your clothing, bedding, bandages, and dressings. This residue then dries within the fabric, making it highly flammable. If you
- Accidentally drop a cigarette, lighted match, or lighter.
- Sit too near to a gas, halogen, or open fire.
- Catch your clothing on a hob when cooking.
These actions can cause a fire to develop within seconds, burning intensely and spreading rapidly.
Who is most at risk?
People who regularly apply emollients to a large area of their body, and are:
- Aged over 40
- Smokers
- Experiencing limited mobility or slow mobility
- Living alone
- Receiving care
What can I do to make sure I’m safe?
Avoid Flames and Heat: Keep fabrics contaminated with emollient residue away from naked flames, cigarettes, and other heat sources.
- Regular Washing: Wash clothing, bedding, and bandages daily at the highest temperature recommended by the fabric care instructions. This may reduce some of the contamination but might not remove it completely—so the risk remains.
- Smoking Precautions: Never smoke in bed and avoid smoking if your clothing could be contaminated with emollient products.
- Cooking Precautions: Do not cook or sit too close to any open fires, gas fires, or halogen heaters if there is a risk of contamination.
- Share Information: Inform family and friends about the potential risks to ensure they are also aware.
Safe use of emollients
Emollients are important in helping lots of people to manage dry skin conditions. They are easily transferred from skin on to clothing and bedding. When fabric with dried-on emollient comes into contact with a naked flame, the resulting fire burns quickly and intensely. People should continue to use emollients but to avoid serious injury, it's important to avoid any naked flame.
#KnowTheFireRisk