Fire Brigade Calls On Residents to Install Smoke Alarms

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After emergency in Perham Road flat with no alarms fitted

London Fire Brigade is reminding local residents of the importance of smoke alarms after an emergency call to a West Kensington property without any alarms.

Emergency services were called to the fire in a flat in Perham Road, W14 after neighbours spotted smoke pouring out onto the street.

The neighbours raised the alarm at 4.45pm on February 20 and four fire engines and 21 crew spent nearly an hour tackling the blaze. Though no one in property was hurt, the fire caused damage to both the kitchen and living room.

It later emerged the property was not fitted with smoke alarms.

A London Fire Brigade spokesperson said: " There were no smoke alarms in the flats or communal areas so it was lucky that the neighbour noticed the smoke and raised the alarm.

" Everyone should have at least one smoke alarm on every level of your home and the safest option is have those linked together. This will give the earliest warning if there is a fire in your home."

The Fire Brigade's call comes as its new figures show that in two thirds of fatal fires over the past three years, smoke alarms have not alerted people to the fire because they haven't been installed or were fitted too far away from where the fire started.

Over a third of home fatal fires happen in the living room, 30 per cent are in the bedroom and in a many cases the smoke doesn't reach the alarms and fire chiefs say by then it could be too late.

And though deaths have come down dramatically, with under 50 people a year dying from fire in the capital, London Fire Brigade believe greater home detection can further reduce the numbers.

Director of Operations Dave Brown says: "Smoke alarm ownership has greatly increased thanks to the hard work of firefighters getting important fire safety messages out and the public acting on it but simply having one smoke alarm is not enough.

" There can be no excuse not to install smoke alarms in key areas of your home apart from the kitchen so that you help protect you and loved ones from fire and have a greater chance of survival.

"We target our vital prevention work on vulnerable people who are most at risk and we offer home fire safety visits to them where are firefighters can install smoke alarms for free where needed."

February 25, 2016