‘Fire-risk home’ refers to a flat or a building where an obvious fire hazard or other accident risk has been identified. Typically, fire-risk homes are filled with a lot of clutter, which causes a strong and rapid spread of fire. In addition, clutter can, in the worst-case scenario, block exit routes or make it more difficult for rescue personnel to operate in the home. Often, fire-risk homes also lack functioning smoke detectors to detect an incipient fire as early as possible and to warn the people in the home as well as neighbours.
Below are other typical features of fire-risk homes.
- Items are stored on the stove, in the oven or in the immediate vicinity of a fireplace
- Items are stored or clothes are dried near the sauna stove
- The home has faulty electrical wiring or equipment
- The residents handle fire negligently (e.g. smoking indoors)
- There are repeated close calls that may manifest themselves as burn marks, for example
The authorities have a duty to notify as defined in the Rescue Act. In addition, every citizen has the right to submit an accident risk notification, if necessary. In an emergency, contact the emergency number 112.
The Helsinki City Rescue Department monitors the risk of accidents on the basis of received accident risk notifications. No identifying information, such as the address or the name of the resident, should be entered in the notification form. We will ask for the information when we contact the person who submitted the notification.
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Notification of an obvious risk of a fire or other accident
