Fire at restaurant – Ilford

Firefighters have issued a safety reminder after an unattended candle is believed to be the cause of a fire at a restaurant on Green Lane in Ilford.

Part of the restaurant was damaged by the blaze. Around 20 people left first and second floor flats above the restaurant before the Brigade arrived. There were no reports of any injuries.

The Brigade’s Fire Investigation team believe the fire was caused by an unattended candle on a windowsill, which caught light to a wooden blind.

A London Fire Brigade spokesperson said: “It is very important to keep candles away from materials that might catch fire like curtains, furniture, clothes and hair.

“Make sure you put out any candles, incense and oil burners when you leave the room and especially before going to bed.

“We strongly recommend replacing wax candles with flameless candles as they are safer to use.”

Benefits of flameless candles

Sometimes called LED, battery-operated, or electric candles - flameless candles have a number of advantages:

• You can leave them unattended
• You don't have to worry about pets or children knocking them over
• If you doze off while a flameless candle is on, it's not a problem
• You can use them outdoors
• You can buy flickering, rechargeable, coloured and waterproof versions

The Brigade was called at 0119 and the fire was under control by 0201. Four fire engines and around 25 firefighters from Dagenham and Ilford fire stations attended the incident.