Fire Brigade Called Out Twice Within Days to Fires in Townmead Road
Offers advice on fitting smoke alarms and discarding cigarettes safely
London Fire Brigade has offered advice to residents on fitting smoke alarms and taking care when discarding cigarettes after being called out twice within a week to fires in Fulham's Townmead Road.
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At lunchtime on Sunday, 22 July an adult and child were treated at the scene by London Ambulance Service crews before being taken to hospital after fire broke out in their kitchen.
The occupants were alerted to the first when the smoke alarm sounded.
The Brigade says it was called at 1.27pm and the fire was under control at 2.21pm. Five fire engines and around 35 firefighters from Chelsea, Wandsworth, North Kensington and Tooting fire stations attended the scene.
The cause of the fire was accidental and believed to have been caused by a cooker hob being accidentally turned on and causing a pan of oil to ignite.
Part of a flat on the second floor of the building was damaged by fire.
A London Fire Brigade spokesperson said: "This incident shows just how important it is to have working smoke alarms fitted on every level of your home.
"Smoke alarms give the earliest possible warning when a fire starts and we would urge everyone to make sure they have one fitted in every room where there is a risk of a fire starting."
Just days before, on Wednesday 18 July, 15 people were forced to leave their homes in Townmead Road during the early morning after a fire broke out in the roof garden of a neighbouring block providing sheltered accommodation.
The Fire Brigade believes the cause of the blaze was a cigarette which had been discarded in a plant pot, after discovering a 'domestic vegetation planter' in the roof garden had been destroyed by the fire.
The Brigade says it was called at 6.32am and the fire was under control at 7.50am.. Four fire engines and around 25 firefighters from Fulham, Chelsea, Wandsworth, and Battersea fire stations attended the scene.
While the 15 neighbours all left safely before firefighters arrived, the residents of the sheltered accommodation block were able to remain in their flats, which were unaffected.
Following this incident, the Fire Brigade is offering this safety advice for smokers:
Make sure you have smoke alarms fitted in every room you regularly use in your home including in the hallways.
Never smoke in bed.
Always ensure you stub out cigarettes properly and dispose of them carefully.
Keep matches and lighters out of children's reach.
Never leave lit cigarettes or cigars unattended.
Empty ashtrays carefully, ensuring all smoking materials are stubbed out and cold.
If you must smoke, do it outdoors.
July 27, 2018
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