House fire - Hanwell

Four fire engines and around 25 firefighters attended fire at a terraced house on Kennedy Road in Hanwell.

Half of the ground floor of the two-storey house was damaged by the fire. The property's garden shed was also destroyed and a number of garden sheds at adjacent properties were also destroyed as well as some wooden fencing. Firefighters cooled two petroleum gas cylinders to an ambient temperature as some cylinders can explode when exposed to heat. One man was assessed at the scene by London Ambulance Service crews.

The Brigade's Fire Investigators believe the fire was accidental and was caused by a candle.

A London Fire Brigade spokesperson said: "Candles are one of the most common causes of fire in the home.

"We recommend you swap your candles for flameless, LED candles. They are safer as you can leave them unattended and you don't have to worry about them being knocked over or falling asleep while they are on.

"If you do continue to use traditional candles, make sure you follow our tips to use them safely."

The Brigade's 999 Control Officers took 20 calls to the fire.

The Brigade was called at 1610 and the fire was under control by 1743. Fire crews from Northolt, Ealing and Southall fire stations attended the scene.

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.
• LED candles can be a great alternative – they're safe even if you fall asleep or forget to blow them out