Seventeen Rescued from a Cheam care home Fire

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London Fire Brigade Firefighters wearing breathing apparatus rescued  residents and staff from a fire at a nursing home on The Avenue in Cheam, Sutton, SM2, during the early hours of the morning.

Sutton police officers also assisted in the rescue, helping evacuate residents from the ground floor while firefighters rescued those residents on the fire affected first floor of the home.

The fire left the nursing home’s roof gutted and badly damaged the first floor of the two storey home.

In total 14 residents – five from the fire affected first floor and nine from the ground floor – were rescued from the building, along with three members of staff.

Station Manager Simon Brownings who was at the scene said: “When they arrived our crews were faced with a serious fire which was affecting the top floor and roof space of the nursing home. Firefighters worked hard to bring it under control and thankfully the property was safely evacuated with no injuries to anyone involved.”

Six fire engines and around 30 firefighters from Mitcham, New Malden, Wallington, Sutton and Purley fire stations attended the incident, along with an aerial ladder platform from Wimbledon.

London Fire Risk Assessments advice: Looking after vulnerable persons is a huge responsibility and their safety in times of emergency must always be a top priority. A Fire Risk Assessment from a fully qualified, third party competent person is the first safeguard. Preventing a Fire is the priority and a professional Fire Risk Assessment will identify all areas of deficiency – these should be acted upon as outlined to reduce the risk of Fire. If the worst happens and a Fire does break out the Fire Safety Emergency Plan supplied will reflect the needs of the vulnerable persons and get them out of the premise as quickly and as safely as possible along with the Staff of course!. Let the Fire Safety Experts do their job – to read more click here

London Fire Brigade has reported two Warehouse fire’s in London within 3 days.

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Deptford – Around 58 firefighters and officers tackled a warehouse fire on a business park on Trundleys Road – there was no report of injuries and the cause of fire is under investigation.

Uxbridge – A disused warehouse in an industrial estate on Arundel Road in Uxbridge was damaged by fire. A member of the public returning home after work raised the alarm after spotting smoke in the area. The single-storey warehouse was badly damaged by the blaze. Fortunately, no one was injured. Six fire engines and around 35 firefighters and officers from Hillingdon, Hayes, Ruislip, Southall and Heathrow fire stations attended the incident.

London Fire Risk Assessments advice: A Fire Risk Assessment on a Factory or Warehouse, carried out by London Fire Risk Assessments would have due regards to relevant Guidance including; Department for Communities and Local Guidance.  Fire Safety Risk Assessment. Factories and Warehouses. ISBN-13:978 1 851 12 816 7

This would enable the Responsible Person to handle and store flammable substances and combustible materials safely and help them to determine the necessary precautions to take

to minimise the likelihood of them being involved in any Fire. Click here to read more

Flat Fire in Paddington

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London Fire Brigade sent Four fire engines and around 20 firefighters were called to a fire in a block of flats on Hyde Park Square in Paddington, W2. An aerial ladder platform also attended the incident.

The fire affected an electrical plant room on the first floor of the eight story block as well as ducting – the building’s extraction system – between the basement and roof.

Crews remained at the scene for some time to ensure all the floors in the block were safe from fire and that any hot-spots in the ducting that remained were fully extinguished.

London Fire Risk Assessments advice: To comply with the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 blocks of Flats should have a Fire Risk Assessment for the communal areas – part of London Fire Risk Assessments Inspection/audit is to assess the condition of the Electrical supply and distribution and to check that the facilities have been tested, inspected and maintained to BS: 7671 2008. In this case the buildings extraction system was an additional consideration for the Fire Brigade – if a hot spot in the ducting re-ignited the fire could possible have spread throughout the building. Any Ventilation or Extraction systems should be regularly inspected, tested and maintained to BS: 9999:2008 /BS: 9991:2011. If you are concerned check your Fire Risk Assessment and if your are not satisfied don’t be afraid to ask question it is better to be safe than sorry!

To read more about Electrical Testing click here

Eleven Rescued from Enfield Flat

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London Fire Brigade Fire Fighting crews rescued eleven people, including five children, from a fire in a block of flats on South Street in Enfield.

Before firefighters arrived the Brigade’s 999 Control officers gave fire survival guidance to a mother who was trapped in one of the flats with a young child and a baby. She was very distressed when she called 999 as she couldn’t leave her flat due to the thick smoke.

Control officers were able to provide vital fire survival guidance, including telling her to keep low and open a window. The control officer remained on the phone until firefighters wearing breathing apparatus reached the flat to rescue her and her two children and lead them to safety.

Control officers were speaking to other people in the flats and this allowed them to provide the initial fire crews arriving on the scene with rapid information on the location and number of people trapped inside the building so they could quickly identify where they were.

Firefighters wearing breathing apparatus rescued eight other people from the block. Two of those rescued were taken to hospital by the London Ambulance Service and a man was treated at the scene, all three were suffering from smoke inhalation. A woman and a child also left the building before the Brigade arrived.

A stairwell on the second floor of the block of four floors was completely destroyed by the blaze.

Five fire engines and around 31 firefighters and officers from Enfield, Edmonton and Chingford attended the incident.

London Fire Risk Assessments advice: To comply with the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 blocks of Flats should have a Fire Risk Assessment for the communal areas – and part of the Fire Risk Assessments is an Emergency Plan. All Residents should be familiar with the Emergency Plan for their premise – Check your Fire Risk Assessment now it could save your life!!

To find out what the Emergency Plan for your premise should identify click here

Firefighters investigate smoke at Bexleyheath Shopping Centre

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Five London Fire Brigade fire engines and 31 firefighters and officers investigated reports of smoke at a shopping centre on Albion Street in Bexleyheath, this morning.

Around 400 people were evacuated from the shopping centre by staff before the Brigade arrived and there were no injuries.

Firefighters located and put out a small fire in an exterior expansion joint of the building, which is believed to have been caused by a discarded cigarette.

Firefighters from Plumstead, Erith, Eltham and Bexley fire stations attended the incident.

London Fire Risk Assessments advice: Would you believe it – London Fire Brigade reported: “Last year around three fires a day in London were linked to smoking and half of accidental fire deaths were related to careless disposal of cigarettes Your Domain Name.” London Fire Risk Assessments would suggest that Commercial premises consider enforcing their ‘No Smoking’ Policy to the external areas of their premise.