Smoking in bed has killed 29 people in Lithuania this year alone. According to firefighters, it takes just 15 minutes for a person to suffocate from burning bedding.
“People suffocate before the flames flare up […]. It could happen within 15 minutes,” said Tomašas Veliseičikas, chief specialist at the Firefighter’s Training School.
In 2020, 69 people – 20 percent more than last year – died in fires in Lithuania. Meanwhile, smoking in bed has been the most common cause of fire-related deaths in Lithuania, according to Aurimas Gudžiauskas, a specialist at the Fire and Rescue Department (PAGD),
“It seems like most of those that die in bed during a fire have other addictions, such as excessive drinking,” said Gudžiauskas.
“Most of the fire victims come from rural areas. Men die in fires four times more often than women. They are usually elderly – over 60 years old – and live alone,” he added.
According to Gudžiauskas, other causes of fire include careless handling of furnaces, chimneys, failures of electrical systems, or improper use of electrical appliances. But deaths could be prevented if more people had smoke detectors at home.
“Out of those who die in fires, 96 percent do not have smoke detectors at home,” Gudžiauskas said.
Smoke detectors are compulsory in private homes in Lithuania. Before the coronavirus pandemic, firefighters had actively carried out campaigns to remind residents by visiting their homes.
“Our main function is to put out fires. Any virus entering our environment would force the entire brigade to isolate and we might not be able to perform our functions […]. So, in the pandemic situation, we are not carrying out the preventative campaigns,” Saulius Greičius, head of PAGD, said.
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