Firefighters praise fire doors as they limited damage and prevented injury at a pub fire on Acre Lane, Brixton in the early hours of this morning.
Staff living above the pub were alerted by a smoke alarm and found a bin alight on decking at the rear of the pub. The fire spread to an external bar area and damaged an unoccupied second floor bedroom.
Clapham Watch Manager Gary Melia was at scene and said:
“Fortunately, an internal door of a room on the second floor was kept shut. This certainly helped to prevent the fire spreading throughout the rest of the building. It’s always a good idea to shut doors, as in the event of a fire as this can help to protect property from further damage. The incident also highlights the importance of working smoke alarms.
“As a minimum you should have smoke alarms on every floor - in the hallways and the rooms you use the most, plus a heat alarm in the kitchen. They should be linked together and tested regularly.”
No injuries were reported and fire crews helped rescue a cat from the second floor.
The Brigade was called at 0020 and the fire was under control by 0207. Fire crews from Clapham, Brixton, Battersea and Peckham fire stations attended the incident.
The cause of the fire is under investigation.