Industrial unit fire - Whitechapel

Four fire engines and around 25 firefighters were called to a fire at an industrial unit on Hessel Street in Whitechapel.

Part of an office on the ground floor of the two-storey building was damaged by fire. One man was taken to hospital by London Ambulance Service crews.

The Brigade's Fire Investigators believe the fire was caused by an electric heater which was placed too close to combustible materials. 

A London Fire Brigade spokesperson said: "The alarm was raised by a member of staff who heard crackling and noticed fire and smoke issuing from within the property. Thankfully, firefighters successfully prevented the fire from spreading to a number of neighbouring industrial properties.

"If you use an electric heater this winter, never leave it unattended. It’s really important to ensure heaters are placed well away from clothes, duvets and other items that can catch fire if they get too close and you should never placed anything on top of them.“

Firefighters tips for using heaters safely 

• Keep heaters well away from clothes, curtains and furniture and never use them for drying clothes.
• Always sit at least one metre away from a heater as it could set light to your clothes or chair.
• Before attempting to move your heater, turn it off and allow it to cool first.
• Make sure heaters are well maintained and in good working order.
• Check that your heater isn't on a recall list – there have been many fires in the past year connected to heaters that have been recalled. 
• Never install, repair or service appliances yourself. Make sure anyone who does is registered with the relevant with the Gas Safe Register (for gas appliances), the Heating Equipment Testing and Approval Scheme (HETAS) (for solid fuel appliances), or the Oil Firing Technical Association (OFTEC) (for oil appliances).
• Don't take risks with old heaters – if it's electrical and getting older, get it tested by a qualified electrician or buy a new one. 
• Where appropriate, secure heaters against a wall to stop them falling over, or fit wall-mounted heaters.

The Brigade was called at 1126 and the fire was under control by 1207. Fire crews from Bethnal Green, Shoreditch, Whitechapel and Poplar fire stations attended the scene.