Firefighters are urging people to make sure they have working smoke alarms after a man had a lucky escape from a fire above a restaurant on Hollywood Road in West Brompton last night.
The man was asleep and with no smoke alarm to wake him from the fire in an adjacent bedroom. Fortunately he woke up in time and lowered himself on to a first floor flat roof and then on to the back of a firefighter on the ground. He was suffering from smoke inhalation and taken to hospital by London Ambulance Service crews.
The fire started in a second floor bedroom and is believed to have been caused by clothing to near to an electric heater. A woman escaped the affected room and a man and child also left the property before the Brigade arrived. All three were uninjured.
Watch Manager Simon Jenkins, who was at the scene said:
“In 2015 there is no good excuse for not having working smoke alarms in your home. The man was incredibly lucky to wake up in time. Smoke alarms are essential and give a vital early warning if there is a fire.
A third of fatal electrical fires involve heaters and there have been 10 deaths in the last five winters. Don’t put clothing or bedding near electric heaters and never leave them unattended.”
A number of staff and customers left the building before fire crews arrived, all uninjured.
The Brigade was called at 2107 and the fire was under control at 2215. Four fire engines and 21 firefighters and officers were at the scene. They were from Battersea, Soho and Wandsworth fire stations attended the incident.