House fire - Morden

Four fire engines and around 25 firefighters were called to a fire at a house on The Drive in Morden.

Part of the ground floor of the semi-detached house was damaged by the fire. A woman was rescued by a man before the Brigade arrived. They were both treated on scene for smoke inhalation and taken to hospital suffering smoke inhalation by London Ambulance Service crews.

The Brigade's fire investigators believe the fire was accidental and involved a candle.

A London Fire Brigade spokesperson said: "Candles are one of the most common causes of fires in the home and you should be careful when using them.

“It’s really important that you never leave them unattended and keep them away from anything that could catch fire such as curtains, furniture or clothes.

"We recommend swapping traditional candles for LED flameless ones as they are much safer, but if you do use real candles, follow our simple safety tips."

The Brigade was called at 2232 and the fire was under control by 2333. Fire crews from Mitcham, Wimbledon, Sutton and New Malden fire stations were at the scene.

Candle safety 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 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.