MFRS carry out community reassurance campaign following fatal flat fire in Birkenhead, Wirral

MERSEYSIDE Fire and Rescue Service (MFRS) have provided the public with vital fire safety advice and support as part of a community reassurance campaign, following the tragic death of a man in a flat fire on:- Pemberton Road, Woodchurch, Wirral, on:- Thursday, 4 May 2023.

MFRS crews and staff also completed safe and well visits and home fire safety checks in the Birkenhead area of Wirral, on:- Friday, 12 May 2023, where the fatal incident occurred.

On the day of the incident, fire crews were alerted at:- 20:46 and 5 Fire Engines were on scene at:- 20.53.

Crews arrived to find a flat fire on the ground floor of a 4 storey building.

The fire was extinguished shortly after and a full search of the building was completed, with all persons accounted for and evacuated from the property.

Merseyside Police attended to assist with road closures and North West Ambulance Service paramedics were also at scene.

MFRS personnel monitored temperatures at the incident before handing over to Merseyside Police. Crews left the scene at:- 00.51 on the morning of:- Friday, 5 May 2023.

An initial investigation into the cause of the fire found it was potentially caused by smoker's materials.

Mark Thomas, Area Manager for Prevention at MFRS, said:- "This is an extremely sad incident that has resulted in the death of a 73 year old man. Our thoughts are with his friends, family, and community at this very difficult time. The initial investigation indicates that smokers' materials caused the fire to start."

AM Thomas added:- "If you have elderly neighbours or relatives, or if you are a carer looking after someone more vulnerable, check in on them frequently to make sure they are safe and well. Help them with Fire Safety advice and please speak to us in the Fire and Rescue Service if you need more support to keep them safe. We also urge care support agencies to let us know if they feel someone might be vulnerable from fire - we can help with interventions to keep people safe in their homes. If you hear a smoke alarm go off in a neighbour's property, check it out and if you suspect fire, call 999 immediately. Those vital few seconds could help save a life. Don't try to enter the property yourself if you think there is a fire; call 999."

As part of the reassurance campaign, firefighters from Saughall Massie Community Fire Station alongside staff from MFRS Prevention and Protection teams visited the surrounding area of Birkenhead to offer fire safety advice and provide reassurance. Crews also completed home fire safety checks.

AM Thomas continued:- "The key focuses of this week's reassurance campaign are the importance of having working smoke alarms and to ensure people are aware of the dangers that can arise from smoking in the home. We urge the public to ensure their homes have working smoke alarms on every level and to test them at least monthly. If you hear a smoke alarm go off in a neighbour's property, check it out and if you suspect fire, call 999 immediately. Those vital few seconds could help save a life. If you do smoke, the safest thing to do is to stop. Fires ignited by cigarettes or smoking materials result in more fatalities than any other type of fire. Never smoke in bed, take extra care when you're tired and make sure your cigarette is fully extinguished."

Tips to keep safe from Fire:-

• Smoke alarms - smoke alarms save lives, but only if they're working and in the right place. You should have at least 1 working smoke alarm on every level of your home. Consider installing additional alarms in rooms with electrical appliances or sleeping areas. Don't put alarms in or near kitchens and bathrooms where smoke or steam could set them off accidentally. NEVER take the batteries out of your smoke alarm to put into another electrical device.
   

• Smoking - Please try not to smoke. Smoking is bad for your health and causes more death from accidental fires than any other cause. If you must smoke, use a proper ashtray and make sure it is placed on a level surface away from combustible materials. Make sure your cigarettes are fully extinguished. Never smoke in bed; you could easily fall asleep while your cigarette is still burning and cause a fire.
   

• Be a good neighbour - Look after elderly and more vulnerable relatives and neighbours. Check they are well, have working smoke alarms and know what to do in the event of a fire.
   

• Electrical items - check your electrical appliances are in good working order. If the wires are damaged or frayed, do no not use them. Avoid charging items like mobile phones, laptops or tablets overnight and only use the chargers that came with the device. Don't overload your plug sockets.
   

• Escape routes - make sure everyone in your household knows how to get out in the event of a fire. Ensure your escape routes are clear from any clutter. Keep your external door and window keys in a known and accessible place and close internal doors.
   

• Candles - keep candles and tea lights away from anything that can catch fire. NEVER leave lit candles unattended; make sure they are fully extinguished before leaving the room or going to bed. Consider using LED battery-operated candles instead.
   

• Cooking - make it a priority to keep cooking areas clear and clean from combustible materials. Make sure your oven and grill are clean; a build up of fat or grease can cause a fire. DON'T leave pans unattended while cooking and NEVER leave children or pets unattended in the kitchen.
   

• Heaters - keep heaters well away from:- clothes, curtains, furniture, and other flammable materials. NEVER use heaters to dry clothes. ALWAYS switch off and unplug your heaters before going to bed.

IN AN EMERGENCY, CALL 999 IMMEDIATELY!

In the event of a fire, get out, stay out and call:- 999.

For fire safety advice, or if you do not have working smoke alarms in your home, please call:- 08007315958.
 

National Beauty Show - Exhibition Centre Liverpool - November 2023

ONE of the newest and most exciting beauty shows to hit the UK has been inundated with requests by some of the biggest and most popular beauty brands and products across the UK wanting to exhibit at the National Beauty Show.

Salons Direct, Acre Pharmacy, Elite Aesthetics, Jalupro, Lex Cosmetics, Mollie Elise, Pro Italia, DOJO, Promoitalia, Royal Scrubs, Cliquesy, UTH Dermal Filler, CPD Professionals, Socialista, Sci U, Under The Palm Aesthetics, Daith Clinic, Amory, Optara, Muscle Flow and Feebea Make Up are just a handful of the beauty industry companies, brands and products who will be exhibiting at the National Beauty Show in Liverpool on the 4th and 5th November. The event will be staged at the purpose-built Exhibition Centre on Liverpool's iconic Waterfront, which recently hosted the Eurovision Song Contest.

Salon owners, beauticians, nail technicians and beauty fans from across the UK will see some of the biggest names in beauty, wellness, cosmetic and aesthetics brands descending on this amazing City. The event is open both to the beauty trade and the public, with beauticians, aesthetics practitioners, beauty fans and influencers all coming together to celebrate the best of beauty. Expect to see live demonstrations on beauty and aesthetics trends, new techniques, product launches, masterclasses and podcasts from the best in the business.

The National Beauty Show was conceived by 2 female beauty entrepreneurs from Liverpool, Jody Riley, a former beautician turned beauty tech entrepreneur and the face of beauty booking app PamperBook / Cliquesy and Alex Alexander, owner of Lex Cosmetics, 1 of the UK's leading cosmetic nurses whose clients include:- celebrities, the rich and famous. The Liverpool ladies, who have previously run events together - teamed up together last year when they launched the National Beauty Awards 2022 in the City to a huge sell-out success and the National Beauty Awards 2023 will take place in October at the Titanic Hotel.

Commenting on the forthcoming event, Jody Riley Co-founder said:- "The response we have had from across the beauty and cosmetics industry to attend and support this event has been truly amazing. There is a huge amount of excitement for the City with Liverpool showcasing itself to the world with Eurovision and being rated as 1 of the top tourist destinations in the UK. Many people within the beauty industry are also excited that this event is being held outside of London as its considerably cheaper to exhibit at our show in Liverpool than London, because of the associated costs of attending, exhibiting, transport, parking and hotel costs. We have also priced our tickets competitively for the public at £11 making it an affordable event in the current climate. Visitors to the event can expect to see celebrity guests, informative talks, masterclass sessions from the UK's top beauty and aesthetics educators, practitioners and influencers. Beauty business owners will also be able to pick up tips and tricks on how to grow their beauty business from Socialista marketing influencer Anna Khanna, hair and beauty business growth coach Alysha Bradley and professional make-up artist and educator Aimee Elizabeth to mention just a few."

Jody Riley added:- "We are a City that has been dubbed:- "The beauty capital of the UK' and Liverpool is widely recognised as having the best prospects for a career in beauty. We can't wait to welcome these brands who will be exhibiting at the show. Beauty professionals, salon and clinic owners who work across the beauty and aesthetics industry will get to see the latest products, treatments and techniques delivered by popular world-renowned brands. Beauty fans will get tips and beauty hacks from leading influencers and discounted products and offers unique to the National Beauty Show."

Over 200 beauty trade suppliers and brands will arrive in the City to showcase their products, the latest treatments and top beauty brands. The National Beauty Show is expected to attract an audience of over 10,000 beauty fans from all over the UK to attend the 2-day event in the beauty capital of the UK.

Alex Alexander Co-founder of The National Beauty Show is 1 of the UK's leading cosmetic nurses to celebrities, influencers, the rich and famous. She also teaches cosmetic treatments and services from her Lex Cosmetics Clinic Training Academy both locally and nationally and is at the forefront of the latest beauty and cosmetic trends. "When we decided to create the National Beauty Show we wanted to produce an event outside of London and bring together like-minded people, an event which appealed to everyone in the beauty and cosmetics industry, whether you were a beautician, cosmetics nurse, make-up artist, nail or brow technician. We wanted this to be inclusive and accessible to all in the beauty industry, whether you are a clinic, salon owner or providing a mobile beauty service. At the same time, we wanted to also open the event up to customers who have beauty treatments, so they could pick up beauty tips and tricks, attend masterclasses and also get discounted beauty and cosmetic products unique to our event. I think what sets us apart is that we have both worked in the beauty and cosmetics industry for many years and we wanted to create a different event that was unique to all of the other beauty exhibitions we had attended over the years. We wanted to put our own style on the event, but also more relevant to the industry we work in."

Liverpool is regarded as the Beauty Capital of the UK and rated No 1 for beauty treatment popularity and annual beauty spending. Liverpool has also been rated the top City in the UK in which to have a career in hair and beauty and No 1 for salary potential. Liverpool ladies spend more money per head on hair, beauty and cosmetic procedures than any other City in the UK.

The UK beauty industry is worth £27 Billion and contributes £8 Billion to the UK economy. There are over 46,000 hair and beauty businesses across the UK, with 5425 of those hair and beauty businesses across the North West alone. Beauty and cosmetics treatments range from £25 for eyebrow tints to £8000 for cosmetic treatments. According to a recent survey, women spend an average of £500 per month on hair and beauty regimes and treatments.

Tickets for the event are on sale now at:- ExhibitionCentreLiverpool.Com.