Firefighters have issued a safety warning after the unsafe disposal of a cigarette caused a fire at a house on Oldfield Road in Willesden.
The fire was detected after residents smelt burning coming from their house whilst they were in the garden. It appears that a cigarette fell into an open wooden drawer containing paper. A man attempted to tackle the fire with a bucket and pans of water. When firefighters arrived, they removed the wooden drawer which was still smouldering.
There were no working smoke alarms in the property. Fire crews installed three smoke alarms in the property. Firefighters administered oxygen to a woman and she was further treated by London Ambulance Service crews at the scene.
A London Fire Brigade spokesperson said:
“It is important to make sure your cigarette is extinguished properly and the best advice is to have an inch of water in the ashtray to make sure it is right out.
“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. They should be tested regularly."
The Brigade was called at 1421 and the fire was under control by 1428. Two fire engines from Willesden and Park Royal fire stations attended the scene.