Bromley - house fire

Firefighters are warning people not to leave their cooking unattended after a fire at a house on Keedonwood Road in Bromley yesterday evening.

A small part of the kitchen on the ground floor was damaged by fire. It's believed a woman left the flat and on her return opened the front door to find the property was smoke logged.  After attempting to tackle the fire, she dialled 999 and was suffering from smoke inhalation and taken to hospital by London Ambulance Service.

Bromley Watch Manager Leslie Howson was at the scene said:

“Never try to tackle a fire yourself as this delays your escape from the property and can lead to injury or worse. Get out, stay out and call 999.

“The cause of the fire is believed to be cooking left unattended. If you are cooking and you have to leave the room, turn the heat off before you do.

The Brigade was called at 2019 and the fire was under control at 2115. Two fire engines and 10 firefighters from Bromley fire station attended the incident.

How to prevent cooking fires

• Avoid leaving cooking unattended
• Don't cook if you are tired, have been drinking alcohol or taking medication that might make you drowsy 
• Take care not to lean over hot hobs and keep tea towels and cloths away from the cooker and hob
• Be careful to keep the oven, hob, cooker hood and grill clean to avoid a build-up of fat and grease, which could ignite and cause a fire
• Use spark devices to light gas cookers - they are much safer than matches or lighters as they don't have a naked flame
• Double check the cooker and hob are turned off when you've finished cooking
• Check toasters are clean and placed away from anything that can catch fire
• Never put anything metal in the microwave
• Supervise children and pets in the kitchen at all times and keep matches and saucepan handles out of reach