TIKTOK fans have been urged not to try a viral trend that aims to keep people warm using little gas or electric.
The new ‘hack’ has exploded in popularity amid a cost of living crisis in the UK where energy prices have rocketed.
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The misguided TikTok trick involves using a tea light in a terracotta dish, which is then covered by an upside down terracotta pot to contain the heat.
It seems like an easy way to save money on keeping your home warm.
Except, it carries major risk despite being used to trim energy bills, according to firefighters and other experts.
“Hacks like this claim to save you money but instead you risk your life,” a spokesperson for Derbyshire fire service said.
In December last year, around 50 people were evacuated from their homes in Derbyshire following a fire that began in a nearby flat when this trick went wrong.
Firefighters believe the heat from the base of the makeshift lamp weakened the plate underneath.
This then caused the setup to fall and set alight to its surroundings.
“Although these hacks may look like a good way to save money on heating bills, they are very dangerous and we would urge people not to follow the videos posted online,” Derbyshire fire investigator and station manager Barclay Masterson said at the time.
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“Luckily, in this instance, the occupiers witnessed the failure of the homemade device and evacuated the flat safely before calling 999 – but it could have been very different, and I would therefore like to remind everyone of the dangers that DIY heaters pose.”
Masterson urged that candles and tea lights should not be used for anything other than their intended purpose.
“They should be put in heat-resistant holders that hold the candle or tea light firmly and placed on a flat, stable and heat-resistant surface,” he explained.
“On this occasion, the heat released from the base of the tea lights was enough to weaken the terracotta plates they were placed on, causing the homemade device to collapse and the melted wax to ignite.
“Using tea lights like this could also cause serious burn injuries, not only from the heated terracotta pots but from the naked flames produced.”
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