CHICOPEE, Mass. (WWLP) – When carving your pumpkin for this spooky season, be careful with how you are going to light your creation.
22News spoke with Springfield Fire Captain Drew Piemonte who is urging against lighting candles inside pumpkins because they can be a fire hazard. According to the Department of Fire Services, big fires start small.
Piemonte warns if you use a small candle to light your Jack O’Lantern and it tips over from the wind or gets knocked over, a big fire could begin. To avoid this, he says you should take safety precautions whenever you light a candle.
“Keep it in a safe area away from the house, a minimum of 10 feet,” Piemonte advises. “You know if you’re going to light a candle inside a pumpkin it will dry it out eventually and never leave it unattended.”
The Department of Fire Services is recommending that everyone should try flameless alternatives such as glow sticks, battery-powered tea lights, or even battery-powered fairy lights. The glow sticks can create an eerie feeling in your pumpkin, and some of the battery-operated tea lights flicker just like a real candle. If you use the fairy lights, it can create a neo-bohemian look.
If you also want your pumpkin to last a long time, do not use candles as the flames will cause the interior to dry out, resulting in it rotting faster, according to Better Homes & Garden.
Piemonte also suggests carving pumpkins in a well-lit area while children keep a safe distance away.
WWLP-22News, an NBC affiliate, began broadcasting in 1953 by providing local news, network, syndicated, and local programming to western Massachusetts. Follow 22News on X @WWLP22News, Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube.
