House fire - Tolworth

Firefighters are warning of the dangers of leaving candles unattended after a fire at a house on Collingwood Avenue in Tolworth. 

Half of the first floor of a semi-detached house was damaged by fire. One man and a woman left the building before the Brigade arrived. There were no reports of any injuries.

The Brigade's Fire Investigator's believe the fire was caused by an unattended candle. 

A London Fire Brigade spokesperson said: "Candles, incense and oil burners are one of the biggest causes of fire within homes. Always keep an eye on these items to keep you and your home safe.

"It is also vitally important to ensure you have working smoke alarms in your property. The residents were very lucky as although, the house was fitted with working smoke alarms, these didn't sound."

Firefighters' candle safety top tips

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

The Brigade was called at 2132 and the fire was under control by 2217. Four fire engines and around 25 firefighters from New Malden, Surbiton and Sutton fire stations attended the scene.