Firefighters used fire escape hoods to rescue a woman and a child after they became trapped by smoke when a fire started in their property.
Part of the ground floor of the house in Fawcett Close was damaged by fire but due to the thick smoke, the woman and child were unable to safely leave the property.
The Brigade’s 999 control officers gave the woman and child fire survival guidance, which included telling them to lay on the ground to get cleaner air as the smoke was rising upwards.
Firefighters rescued the woman and child using fire escape hoods, bringing them to safety.
Fire escape hoods provide members of the public with up to 15 minutes protection from four of the main fire gases (carbon monoxide, hydrogen cyanide, hydrogen chloride and acrolein) and can be worn by conscious or unconscious people. If more than 15 minutes protection is required then another hood can be given to each wearer. They do not provide oxygen but temporarily filter toxic smoke to make breathing easier.
A London Fire Brigade spokesperson said: “Using the fire escape hoods meant that it allowed the occupants to safely use the stairs of the property to exit rather than having to be rescued via a ladder pitched to a window.
“The time of year and the time of the fire, along with strong winds on the night, made the fire escape hoods even more valuable when assisting with the rescues.”
One man left the house before the arrival of the Brigade. All three occupants were treated at the scene for smoke inhalation.
The Brigade was called at 0415 and the fire was under control at 0513. Fire crews from Battersea, Chelsea, Wandsworth and Brixton fire stations attended the scene.
The cause of the fire is under investigation by the Brigade and Metropolitan Police Service.