Bedsit fire - Kentish Town

Firefighters rescued a man from a window ledge after there was a fire in his bedsit flat on Navigator Close in Kentish Town.

Fire crews acted quickly and pitched a nine metre ladder to the window and brought him to safety. The man was taken to hospital by London Ambulance Service crews.

A small part of the second floor bedsit was damage by fire.

Station Manager Neil Guyett, who was at the scene, said: “Firefighters fast actions when they arrived meant he was rescued quickly and safely from the property. We believe that the fire was caused by a tea light left unattended.

“It’s really important you never leave them unattended and keep them away from curtains and anything else which can easily catch fire.”

How to use candles safely

1. Make sure you put out any candles, incense and oil burners when you leave the room and especially before bed.
2. These items should always be held firmly in heat-resistant holders and placed on a stable surface where they won’t be knocked over.
3. Keep them away from materials that might catch fire – that's things like curtains, furniture, clothes and hair.
4. Be especially careful if you have a lot of flammable items in your home, like collections of books, magazines or papers.
5. Be aware that tea lights get very hot and without proper holders can melt through plastic surfaces like a TV or bath.
6. To avoid accidents keep candles and other naked flames out of reach of children and pets.
7. LED candles can be a great alternative – they're safe even if you fall asleep or forget to blow them out.

The Brigade was called at 0645 and the fire was under control at 0713. Two fire engines and 10 firefighters from Holloway and Hornsey fire stations attended the scene.