Firefighters are reminding Londoners about the dangers of tackling fires themselves after a fire caused by an overheated wheat bag at a flat on Oxenpark Avenue in Wembley.
Bedding and other materials in a bed were damaged by fire. A woman was treated at the scene for smoke inhalation and taken to hospital by London Ambulance Service crews as a precaution.
A small fire had already been extinguished before the arrival of the Brigade.
A London Fire Brigade spokesperson said: “The occupant tackled the fire themselves and thankfully were not seriously injured. We would always advise people to leave their property immediately upon discovering a fire and to call 999.
“This incident also shows how dangerous wheat bags can be. This situation could have quickly escalated and could have been fatal if the woman had been asleep in bed with the bag.
“Wheat bags can continue to build heat once removed from the microwave and start to smoulder; when in contact with bedding a fire can spread quickly.”
Wheat bags can be dangerous if not used properly. The Brigade is urging users to always follow the manufacturer's instructions carefully and to ensure a wheat bag is not heated in a microwave for too long or at too high a temperature and is not left unattended at any time.
The Brigade was called at 0445 and the fire was under control by 0526. Two fire engines and around 10 firefighters from Wembley Fire Station attended the scene.