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LONDON FIRE Brigade (LFB) is calling on borough councils in the capital to help raise awareness of the risks from acetylene gas cylinders.
The brigade has produced a leaflet with Islington Council which has been distributed to local busi-nesses. It provides advice on the safe use and storage of the cylinders, suitable alternatives that can be used, and information on the costs and disruption of incidents involving acetylene.
Lewisham and Barnet councils have reproduced the leaflet, and LFB is urging all local authorities in London to do the same.
The move comes as new research by LFB reveals an increase in the number of fires it is attending involving acetylene gas cylinders in the capital.
In 2007 so far, the brigade has attended 17 separate incidents involving acetylene – more incidents than in 2005 or 2006, which saw 15 and 16 incidents, respectively.
As well as the safety risks, such incidents can cause major disruption. At 12 of the 17 acetylene incidents so far this year – including one that affected the Eurostar train line – a 200m hazard zone was put in place around the incident for more than 24 hours. The research also shows that 2,000 people were evacuated from homes or workplaces because of hazard zones being put in place in the first half of 2007.
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