Flat fire in Tooting prompts cooking safety reminder from firefighters

Firefighters are reminding Londoners to not leave their cooking unattended after a fire at a flat on Longley Road in Tooting.

Part of a flat on the ground floor was damaged by fire. One man was treated for smoke inhalation and was taken to hospital by London Ambulance Service crews.

The Brigade’s Fire Investigation Team believe the fire was caused by unattended cooking.

A London Fire Brigade spokesperson said: “Although a smoke detector was fitted in the flat and raised the alarm, we would like to remind the public to never leave cooking unattended – if you have to leave the room or the house, turn the heat off. “

The Brigade’s top kitchen safety tips:

• Never leave cooking unattended, even for a moment
• Always make sure the cooker is switched off once you’ve finished using it 
• Keep your oven, hob and grill clean and free from grease – a build up can be a fire hazard 
• Don’t store things like cookbooks or teatowels close to the hob as they can easily catch fire 
• Avoid cooking if you’ve been drinking alcohol 
• Never fill a pan more than a third full with oil 
• Dry chips before putting them in oil 
• Never throw water onto hot oil or fat 
• If a fire does break out you should turn the heat off if it’s safe to do so but don’t try to tackle the fire by yourself.
• Get everyone out of the house and call 999 immediately

The Brigade was called at 2244 and the fire was under control by 2343. Four fire engines and around 25 firefighters from Tooting, Wimbledon and Mitcham fire stations attended the scene.