Smoke alarm wakes resident to a fire in his house on Edrick Road, Edgware in the early hours of this morning.
After hearing the alarm sounding the man evacuated his property and thankfully was uninjured.
There were a lot of combustible materials inside the home. Over half of the first floor was damaged by fire and there was heavy smoke throughout the terraced house.
The fire is believed to have been caused by an incandescent light bulb coming into contact with combustible materials.
London Fire Brigade spokesperson said:
“This incident shows the importance of having working smoke alarms in your home.
“You should never remove them or take out the batteries and they should be tested regularly to make sure they are working.
“Homes need multiple smoke alarms or you won’t be properly covered. Ideal spots for smoke alarms include rooms where you leave electrical equipment running like satellite boxes, computers or heaters; any room where you smoke, and anywhere you charge your mobile or laptop.
“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.”
The Brigade was called at 0300 and the fire was under control by 0357. Mill Hill, Stanmore and Hendon fire stations were at the scene.