DEVON and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service has pledged its support for the fifth Gas Safety Week which will take place from September 14 to 20.

It will be raising awareness of gas safety issues, to help keep the public safe from dangerous gas appliances.

Marc House, Community Safety Prevention manager said:  “With the colder weather approaching, many people will naturally be using their gas appliances more than ever over the coming months. It’s important that all gas appliances are safety checked at least once a year as poorly serviced gas appliances can cause gas leaks, fires, explosions and carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning.

“Check for warning signs that your appliances aren’t working correctly, such as lazy yellow or orange flames instead of crisp blue ones, black marks on or around the appliance and too much condensation in the room.”

During Gas Safety Week organisations across the UK will be working together to raise awareness of the dangers of poorly maintained gas appliances, which cause gas leaks, fires, explosions and carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning. In the last year, at least 68,000 homes in the UK escaped deadly gas incidents such as these, by engineers switching off dangerous appliances.

Nearly one in two of these incidents were caused because a gas appliance had not been regularly serviced and had been left in a poor state.

With 20 deaths and 1,000 gas-related injuries in the last three years, it is vital that people make sure their gas appliances are safety checked every year by a registered engineer.

Anyone working on gas appliances while not being Gas Safe registered is working illegally.

To request free Home Safety advice from the fire service call free on: now 0800 0502999.

For any other fire safety advice, contact the Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service helpline on: 01392 872288 or visit the website: www.dsfire.gov.uk .