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

How to protect yourself?

By following the law and installing a smoke detector. *« 70% of fatal fires occur at night. Without warning, sleeping victims are asphyxiated by smoke»,* warns Lionel Guicherd-Callin, from Nest. For a year now, the law requires one detector per household. It’s even better to install one per floor, preferably on the ceiling (smoke rises), avoiding humid rooms. While they save lives, detectors also help fight flames quickly and limit damage.

Any other precautions?

Faulty electrical installations and appliances cause one in four fires: check that yours are in good condition and avoid overloading a single socket. Monitor pots and pans on the stove and keep flammable products away from radiators, bulbs, and stovetop burners. Keep an eye on deep fryers and toasters, which often overheat and cause incidents. Finally, maintain your gas or heating oil installations, have your chimney swept annually, or check your fireplace.

Not yet equipped, what are the risks?

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

Late to the game? *« In case of fire, you will still be covered by your home insurance policy»,* reassures Éric Petitpas, head of non-auto claims at AXA France. For the rest, it’s too early to know how case law will evolve. But *« your civil liability could be engaged for damages to third parties. »* That’s why it’s recommended, after installation, to notify your insurer to confirm you’ve placed the valuable devices (ideally with purchase receipts).

Don’t hesitate to consult our articles on home fire safety to ensure the safety of your loved ones and benefit from sound advice on fire protection. Also consider hiring a fire safety expert to equip yourself with compliant, high-quality materials.