The company's advice is similar to that issued every year by the State Fire and Rescue Service (VUGD), but every year dozens of avoidable injuries still happen.
"Every decent Latvian has a grill at home, and sometimes even several of different sizes. However, not everyone knows how to use it correctly and safely. A grill is essentially a vessel with fire, and always with fire
be careful. The combination of open flames, hot coals and wooden surfaces can cause ignition by accident, because fire spreads extremely fast under such conditions... – the grill must be placed no closer than 6 meters from the house. A fire can also break out when the wind blows sparks onto the facade or wooden terrace boards," says Iveta Briede, senior claims adjuster of the insurer.
The specialist says that there has been more than one case in which a fire broke out even a few hours after using the grill. Last summer the biggest accident of this kind ended up causing more than 100,000 euros' worth of damage.
In addition to properly placing the grill – and not using a grill on the balcony of an apartment block – "because falling sparks can ignite the neighbors' balcony or apartment or even an entire apartment building" – the grill should be cleaned regularly to avoid a build-up of fat, and it should never be left unattended.
“People underestimate how important it is to keep your grill well-maintained and in working order. It happens that on Sunday evening, when friends come unexpectedly, an old used grill is pulled out of the pantry without one leg. It should be remembered that such an action can not only be expensive, but also end in tragic consequences. Think if you would sit in a car without a seat belt," advises Ms. Briede.
According to If's records, last year in Latvia, the largest damage caused to a house by a Midsummer fire reached 76,000 euros, in the neighboring countries of Lithuania and Estonia, there were cases of 150,000 and 100,000 thousand euros respectively.
