Claudia Winkleman: 'My daughter was on fire' - BBC News

Strictly Come Dancing presenter Claudia Winkleman has spoken for the first time about the serious injuries her daughter suffered in a Halloween costume fire. Matilda, eight, was left with severe burns when her costume caught fire at a neighbour's house in London last year.
"We couldn't put her out," Winkleman told Chris Hollins on the BBC's Watchdog programme. "Her tights had melted into her skin."
Matilda is beginning to recover after several operations but her surgeon is calling for fire safety laws to change.
David Sillito reports.
Watchdog is on BBC One from 20:00 BST on Thursday, 14 May

[Parseenfroo]

That poor lady, more importantly obviously, her poor daughter.

[lavoixdevelours]

Horrible accident on a night of fun. :( I hope she's doing much better.

[lapelcelery]

That doctor is either a superhero, or he's in the witness protection program.

[jonathangwynne]

It is shocking and *completely* unacceptable that children's costumes aren't held to fire standards that are *at least* as strict for those regarding sleeping clothing.

If you think about it, children are more at risk for their Halloween costume catching fire than their pyjamas when sleeping at home.

[fluffybunny]

I went into my local supermarket and was appalled to see that they were selling flammable Halloween garments .in my opinion they should be regulated. When I was a little girl there was a campaign high lighting just how dangerous it was stand by the fire in your house with flammable nightwear and that was a least 45 years ago! Have we not learned anything? Living room settees have to be made with the right materials why not children’s clothing?

[silverkitty]

Just to remember..if it does happen to you OR a loved one DROP and roll.

[Blahde]

The place that supplied this crap should be brought to task. What I mean is, you are never going to get the sweat shop in China or Pakistan or wherever these are made, so you have to go for the UK sellers. Poor kid.

[sukamayoutube]

Also people need to stop leaving candles around

[DianaAmericaRivero]

The world laughs at us Americans for being so litigious, but there's good reason for it. Reform, especially when it comes to the way products are manufactured, packaged, sold, or advertised sometimes starts with a good old fashioned lawsuit.

[michaelmuldowney]

Story provoked debate on important issue. Pretty sure that packaging even on a 5 quid costume would say highly flammable - so onus is then on parents to be exercise care and attention. and clearly Claudia carried much guilt over this. That said Governments should ensure that any items that are intended for children should have the most rigorous standard applied - and laws need to be changed and enforced.

[emcarver]

No she wasn't. Her clothes were on fire

[dumbasses_R_us]

I can remember when the safety standards for children's pyjamas came in back in the 80s after so many children were injured in fires involving them. These standards should apply for ALL clothing

[shsh._-]

Doe sit say on dresses when you buy them that they can catch fire?

[norwegianzound]

Half sister of Sophie Winkleman. Easy life for these top notch totty gals. If only we all had the contacts and access they've had.

[johnruthger]

i know this is a really sad thing, but did anyone else laugh their ass off at how abrupt the video title is?

[byronpocock]

it kinda is her fault, there's a reason it only cost 5 quid the cheapness of the outfit the flammability of the outfit is down to the parents to get right.
Also evey decent parent should make sure there is more than one fire extinguisher in there house. I keep 2 in my room and there are 3 downstares for these exact reasons.

[BobMonty]

If this was a council estate family they would be up 4 neglect ? Filth

[Arjay]

Oh great, let's put a million rules on Halloween costumes, which are only worn on day of the year, so that way they cost 100-200 quid.
Instead of trying to put a million rules on costumes, how about parents be able to be a bit more attentive, make it so parents can at least know that the costumes are highly flammable, that way attentive parents can just be more attentive and watch their children going around lights and fire instead of making costumes prices rise because of something that doesn't happen much, is there an epidemic of children catching fire because of costumes? No? Then introducing hundreds of laws and rules on the costumes is not the way to handle this horrible situation. Now if there was an epidemic I'm all for it.

Feel horrible for Matilda, but let's not go crazy.