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

How can I protect myself?

By respecting the law and installing a smoke detector. " 70% of fatal fires take place at night. Without warning, sleeping victims are asphyxiated by the smoke "," warns Lionel Guicherd-Callin of Nest. For the past year, the law has required one detector per household. It's best to install one per floor, preferably on the ceiling (smoke rises), avoiding damp rooms. While they save lives, detectors also help to fight 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 the same socket. Keep an eye on pots and pans on the fire, and keep flammable products away from radiators, light bulbs and hotplates. Keep an eye 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 insert checked.

Not yet equipped, what am I risking?

Smoke detectors have been mandatory since March 8, 2015, but 19% of households still hadn't installed one by the end of 2015.

Delayed? In the " event of fire, you'll still be compensated by your comprehensive home insurance "," reassures Éric Petitpas, head of non-automobile claims at Axa France. For the rest, it's too early to know how case law will evolve. But " you could be held civilly liable for damage to third parties ". That's why it's advisable, after installation, to write to your insurer to certify that you've installed the precious boxes (ideally with purchase invoices).

Feel free to consult our articles on home fire safety to ensure the safety of your loved ones and receive expert advice on fire protection fire expert to equip you to the highest standards, with quality materials.