Home renovation projects usually start with ideas about what would work well for the space. A kitchen extension with lots of glass to bring in light. A loft conversion with skylights to make the new room bright. An extra floor that maximizes the footprint of the existing building. These plans make sense from a design perspective, but they don't always account for the regulations that determine what's actually allowed.
Fire safety inspections can bring construction projects to a halt when riser cupboards don't meet code requirements. The frustrating part is that many failures stem from the same recurring mistakes that installers make project after project. These aren't complicated issues-they're basic installation errors that happen when people don't fully understand what inspectors are looking for. Understanding these common problems helps contractors avoid expensive callbacks and project delays. More importantly, it ensures fire safety systems will actually work when firefighters need them during emergencies.
It followed a tip-off to authorities that a frightening cache of pyrotechnics were being flogged off by an unlicensed vendor to members of the public. Fireworks should only be purchased from sellers, such as supermarkets, and not from market stalls or sellers conducting transactions door-to-door. Newham Trading Standards obtained a warrant to search a self-contained flat in Forest Gate last week and found the goods Those caught illicitly selling or lighting fireworks risk being fined up to 5,000 or sentenced to six months in prison.
If you want to know what a home really looks like, ask a house cleaner. As professionals who tidy up and wipe off messes for a living, house cleaners know the truth of what's really clean and sanitary in bedrooms and kitchens. "People don't clean anything they or guests can't readily see," said Sara San Angelo, a house cleaner based in Charleston, South Carolina.
New Yorkers are being urged to check the safety of their homes as the FDNY relaunches a citywide campaign to prevent deadly fires. The #GetAlarmedNYC initiative aims to put smoke alarms in thousands of homes across the five boroughs, making sure families have an early warning in case of danger. Since the program began, 309,000 smoke alarms have been distributed citywide.
Flames ripped through the property based beside the Beckenham Odeon cinema on Tuesday morning with some 70 firefighters taking two-and-a-half hours to bring the blaze under control. Local business owner Chris Penfold said he had raised concerns about a wooden structure on the roof of the building and told the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) it "was just a question of when, rather than if [a fire broke out]". The Met Police is investigating the cause of the fire and the council said it could not comment while this is taking place.
We all want to minimize the risk of fire to our homes and communities, but the EMBER plan is a simplistic, one-size-fits-all response to fire preparedness. The EMBER plan promotes, among other recommendations, that all vegetation within 5 feet of the house be removed. Trees and plants near and around homes provide shade and insulation, keeping homes cooler. Cooler homes reduce the need for air conditioning, which is a contributor to greenhouse gases that contribute to conditions for extreme wildfires.
Aldi shoppers should check their kitchens, because about 21,690 Ambiano Cotton Candy Makers have just been recalled for fire risk. The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission says the machines' heating elements can ignite sugar if used without the included receptacle. The recall covers both red and teal models with the number 836098 on the bottom of the unit. The machines were sold nationwide at Aldi between August 2024 and September 2024 for about $15.
The blaze destroyed nearly everything they owned and displaced them from their home with just a few belongings in a matter of several hours, Evans told Hyperallergic in a phone call from a hotel where she is currently living. "There's a lot of things that went wrong," Evans said. "It was not like the movies where it's very clear it's an emergency," she added, recalling how the building's smoke alarms had not even gone off when she and her neighbors cleared their homes.
Sacred Heart Parish is holding a carnival with food, rides, live music and games on Sept. 12-13. Admission is free, and the carnival strives to provide something for everyone. Food booths at the carnival will offer barbecue, corn dogs, pizza, tacos and ice cream. Entertainment includes The Honey Wilders, Los Gatos Ballet and Shaolin Warrior Martial Arts. Raffle prizes include stud earrings by Joe Escobar Diamonds,
The Department of Agriculture has urged visitors to forests, parks, beaches and other recreation areas to not bring barbeques and other sources of ignition as vegetation fires pose a danger to resources and public safety.
The new ordinance allows accessory dwelling units, or ADUs, to be up to 1,200 square feet and 25 feet tall, regardless of attachment type. Rooftop decks are permitted with additional height allowances for safety railings.
These figures show a gap between the scale of BBQ-related emergencies and enforcement action. It suggests either a lack of necessary powers or not enough resources for enforcement.
BGF's investment comes at a pivotal time for the fire suppression industry, which is experiencing rapid growth driven by tighter regulations, increased construction activity and rising global urbanisation.
Kelly Ramsey, the first woman in nearly a decade to join the Rowdy River Hotshots, shares insights from her memoir detailing her two years as a wildland firefighter.
In 1666 there was no organised fire brigade. Firefighting was very basic with little skill or knowledge involved. Leather buckets, axes and water squirts were used to fight the fire, but had little effect.
