Firefighters have issued a smoking safety reminder after a woman was rescued from a fire in a block of maisonettes in Saint James’s Crescent in Brixton.
A maisonette on the ninth and tenth floors of the building was damaged by fire.
Firefighters wearing breathing apparatus rescued a woman from the ninth floor. She was treated at the scene for smoke inhalation before being taken to hospital by London Ambulance Service crews.
The Brigade’s fire investigators believe the cause of the fire was the unsafe disposal of smoking materials.
A London Fire Brigade spokesperson said: “If you're a smoker it’s absolutely vital you ensure your cigarette is completely out when you’ve finished smoking it. If you don’t, you risk causing a fire which could not only destroy your home, but also cost you your life.”
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.
The Brigade was called at 0740 and the fire was under control at 0841. Five fire engines and 30 firefighters and officers from Brixton, Peckham, Clapham and Lambeth fire stations attended the scene.