Every two minutes, a fire breaks out in France. 250,000 incidents are reported every year, and nearly 700 deaths are recorded.

How can you protect yourself?

By complying with the law and installing a smoke detector. "70% of fatal fires happen at night. Without a warning, sleeping victims are asphyxiated by the smoke," warns Lionel Guicherd-Callin, of the company Nest. For a year now, the law has required one detector per household. It is better to install one on each floor, preferably on the ceiling (smoke rises), avoiding damp rooms. As well as saving lives, detectors also make it possible to tackle flames quickly and limit damage.

Any other precautions?

Faulty electrical installations and appliances are the cause of one fire in four: check that yours are in good condition and avoid overloading a single socket. Keep an eye on saucepans and frying pans on the hob, and keep flammable products away from radiators, light bulbs and hobs. Keep a close watch on deep-fat fryers and toasters, whose overheating causes many incidents. Finally, maintain your gas or oil installations, and have your chimney swept every year or your wood-burner insert checked.

Not equipped yet: what are the risks?

Smoke detectors have been mandatory since 8 March 2015, but 19% of households still had not installed one at the end of 2015.

Running late? "In the event of a fire, you will still be compensated by your multi-risk home insurance," reassures Éric Petitpas, head of non-motor claims at Axa France. As for the rest, it is too early to know how case law will develop. But "your civil liability could be called upon for damage to third parties". That is why, after installation, it is recommended to write to your insurer to certify that you have fitted the precious units (ideally enclosing the purchase invoices).

Do not hesitate to read our articles on home fire safety to ensure the safety of your loved ones and benefit from sound advice on fire protection. You can also call on a fire expert to equip yourself to the required standards, with quality equipment.