Seven people escape after fire started in flats' hallway
Arson is suspected as the cause of a fire at flats on the Uxbridge Road near Ealing Common tube station. The incident took place on Sunday 2nd September at Fielding Terrace at about 9.30pm.
The premise is a semi-detached house converted into four flats. Seven persons were inside the building at the time of the fire. A man managed to leave the building before the Brigade arrived.
Firefighters used a ladder to rescue three women from a first floor flat after fire broke out on the ground floor of the two storey building. All four were taken to hospital by the London Ambulance Service suffering from smoke inhalation. They have since been released from hospital. The residents were alerted to the fire by a smoke alarm.
Four fire engines form Acton, Ealing and Chiswick and around 20 firefighters were called to the blaze and worked quickly to extinguish the fire within half and hour. Judging the fire to be suspicious the police were called. Initial investigations led them to believe the fire was started deliberately in the downstairs hallway of the building and is being treated as Arson.
Detective Constable Helen Foster, Acton CID said, "This was an extremely reckless act which could have had tragic consequences and we would appeal to the local community to help us find those responsible. The seven people inside the building at the time of the attack are very lucky not to have suffered more serious injury. We would appeal to anyone who may have any information which could help with our investigation to contact Ealing Borough Police on 020-8721-7060 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800-555-111 quoting Crime Reference 2526582/07."
September 7, 2007