A resident of North Devon was taking advantage of the fine summer weather last Tuesday by soaking up the sun in his garden with an afternoon cigarette. After finishing his smoking session, the man threw what was left of his cigarette towards a flower patch and went inside his house to continue with his day.
Little did the assistant hotel manager know that the butt still contained a spark and was starting to set his garden fence on fire. The next time he glanced across the flames were rising higher and higher, and were threatening to send his recently built summerhouse up in smoke.
To make matters worse, as he tried to douse the flames with a garden hose his pet dog chewed the nozzle from where it was attached in the kitchen. Subsequently water gushed into the kitchen and flooded the room. Luckily the fire brigade appeared on the scene quickly and were able to put the blaze out before any major damage was done.
With summer temperatures the highest they have been for years, many people are likely to be in similar situations to this unlucky man over the coming months, relaxing outdoors with cigarettes in hand. Yet cases like these are a sharp reminder that we should be careful about where we stub cigarettes out. Having an ash tray on hand could make all the difference in this situation.
Aside from the potential fire risks cigarettes bring with them a plethora of health risks. From lung cancer to heart disease, impotence and infertility, smoking causes more problems than it is worth. If you would like to undertake a smoking cessation programme this summer, you should turn to a trained medical professional for help with giving up.
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