Mabalacat BFP warns against substandard Christmas lights

MABALACAT CITY — The Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) here has warned the public against faulty and substandard Christmas lights.

Senior Fire Officer Richard Medina , the city’s deputy fire marshal, said the people have to meticulous in buying and selecting illuminations for their residences to prevent fire incidents.

Medina said that Christmas lights are one the leading causes of fire during the holiday season.

“People should not wait for any incident to happen to be very careful,” Medina said in the vernacular.

The fire officer also reminded the household owners not to leave Christmas lights on for a long period of time.

“If you leave them overnight for example, they may likely heat up causing sparks and then fire,” Medina said.

Cheap Christmas lights without certification from the Department of Trade and Industry and other government safety agencies should not be purchased, according to him. Medina at the same time warned the public against the use of fire crackers which may also cause fire and injuries to people if not handled properly. He added that every year, the number of people using fire crackers are decreasing. “This is a good sign that the government is effective in its campaign against harmful fire crackers,” Medina said.