Firefighters from Arlington County and Fairfax County and responded the call to the 1500 block of Dominion Hill Court at about 10:42 p.m. There were no injuries
MCLEAN, VA —According to Fairfax County Fire and Rescue, a two-alarm fire Saturday, Jan. 8 in McLean, was caused when an unattended candle ignited nearby combustibles in the family room.
Firefighters from Arlington County and Fairfax County answered the call to the 1500 block of Dominion Hill Court at about 10:42 p.m. A second alarm was requested, as the two-story, single-family home had flames coming from all sides of the structure.
Fire crews controlled the size of fire and kept it from spreading to other homes in the neighborhood. Firefighters put the fire out in about 30 minutes, however they stayed on scene overnight to attack hot spots.
Working smoke alarms warned the two residents were home when the fire started and evacuated before calling 911. There were no injuries
The damages were estimated to be approximately $919,500.
According to statistics from the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), there are more than 350,000 home fires each year in the U.S., leading to more than 2,600 deaths.
Candles rank fifth in the top 10 causes of house fires:
- Cooking equipment
- Heating
- Smoking in bedrooms
- Electrical equipment
- Candles
- Curious children
- Faulty wiring
- Barbeques
- Flammable liquids
- Lighting
Candle Burning Tips
- Never leave a burning candle unattended.
- Keep burning candles away from pets and children.
- Keep burning candles away from flammable materials.
- Remove paper label from candle before lighting.
- Burn candles only in a draft-free environment away from open windows, fans, air ducts, etc. This will help to prevent any smoking or dripping.
- Light the candle wick from the base of the wick, where the wick comes out of the candle. This allows the beeswax to be absorbed into the wick.
- Keep the wick trimmed to about 1/4″ when burning.
About Candles
The word candle comes from Middle English candel, from Old English and from Anglo-Norman candele, both from Latin candēla, from candēre ‘to shine’.
Preceding the candle, people used oil lamps where a burning wick was set in a vessel of liquid oil. The Romans started producing true dipped candles from tallow, beginning around 500 BC and candles made in European ancient times were made from numerous forms of natural fat, tallow, and wax. In ancient Rome, candles were made of tallow due to the prohibitive cost of beeswax and today, 100% pure beeswax candles can cost up to 10 times as much as soy or paraffin candles.
The highly toxic fumes and soot released by burning paraffin wax are the same as those found in burning diesel fuel.
Poisonous chemicals present in paraffin (and released into the air through burning) include, but are not limited to known carcinogens such as: Acetone, Benzene, Toluene, Trichlorofluoromethane, Carbon Disulfide, 2-Butanone, Trichloroethane, Carbon Tetrachloride, Tetrachloroethene, Chlorobenzene, Ethylbenzene, Styrene, Xylene, Phenol, Cresol and Cyclopentene.
To learn more about this subject, type “Paraffin Candles Toxic”, “Toxic Fumes Scented Candles” or any combination of similar keywords into the search box of your favorite search engine.
Many so called 100% soy wax candles contain a small amount of paraffin since standardized labeling of soy candles is not enforced or regulated. This means that any claims of ingredients or benefits, are left up to the discretion of the soy wax maker.
In addition, over 90% of soy beans grown are genetically modified and sprayed with toxic pesticides. So, if you are buying soy candles, more than likely you are supporting the production of GMO’s.
To learn more about this subject, type “Soy vs. Beeswax Candles” or any combination of similar keywords into the search box of your favorite search engine.
The bottom line is: When you burn petroleum-based paraffin wax candles or scented candles, you are filling your home with highly toxic chemicals and fumes.
100% pure beeswax candles are made of natural, organic beeswax which is made by honey bees in the hive. 100% pure beeswax burn clean and have their own raw honey-floral fragrance even when not burning. Unlike paraffin candles, they do not contain any additives, synthetic chemicals or leave behind black soot from smoke when they are burned.
The highest quality beeswax candles are hand poured or dipped and made with 100% cotton wicks and 100% all natural, unbleached yellow beeswax, produced by bees in the USA.
