Tragic family back fire chiefs’ warning over skin creams
THE family of a woman who perished in a blaze have welcomed new guidance to warn people about the fire risks of some skin creams.
Pauline Taylor died after a fire broke out in her bedroom at Primrose Hill, Huddersfield, in May, 2015.
Pauline suffered from the skin condition psoriasis and used paraffin-based emollient creams to sooth the condition.
Fire investigators believe residue from the highly flammable cream on her bedding, intensified the blaze when she dropped a match while smoking in bed. West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service (WYFRS) launched a project to look at the issue following three deaths in West Yorkshire where paraffin-based emollients were believed to have accelerated the speed and intensity of the fire.
Nationally, it is thought more than 50 people have been killed in fires where paraffinbased creams were a factor.
Fire chiefs are now celebrating after the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) this week announced recommendations that labelling and product information for these emollient products should now include a warning about the fire hazard.
The MHRA said products should contain clear advice not to smoke or go near naked flames and information about the risk of severe burn injury or death when clothing, bedding and dressings with emollients dried on them are accidentally ignited. Pauline’s daughter, Deborah Farmer, said: “We, as a family, wel- come the news from the MHRA regarding changes to labelling and packaging of paraffin-based emollients.
“Since the tragic death of our mother in 2015 my sister and I have been working closely with WYFRS highlighting and raising awareness of the increased risk of flammability of clothing and bedding soaked in the products.
“It is essential that all patients and relatives have clear and concise information warning them of the potential risk of fabric flammability when exposed to smoking materials and naked flames.
“WYFRS have worked tirelessly over the last few years campaigning to see changes in how these prod- ucts have been labelled and also providing education to healthcare professionals and pharmacists regarding emollients.”
Watch Commander, Chris Bell, of Huddersfield Fire Station, who has led the project, said: “We are really pleased to see this recommendation put forward.
“We realise that paraffin-based emollients can be hugely beneficial to people who use them to treat skin conditions, but users and their carers do need to be aware of the potential fire risks if fabrics have been in contact with an emollient or emollient treated skin and an ignition source is introduced.
“It is particularly important if you are a smoker who uses emollients.”