Firefighters are sharing their cooking safety tips after rescuing three people from a fire at a flat above a shop on Borthwick Mews in Stratford.
Part of a studio flat on the first floor of the building was damaged by fire. Crews wearing breathing apparatus rescued a man from the first floor via an internal staircase. Another man and a woman were rescued from the second floor using fire escape hoods. Three people were treated on scene by London Ambulance Service crews and one man was taken to hospital.
Fire escape hoods provide members of the public with up to 15 minutes protection from four of the main fire gases (carbon monoxide, hydrogen cyanide, hydrogen chloride and acrolein) and can be worn by conscious or unconscious people. If more than 15 minutes protection is required then another hood can be given to each wearer. They do not provide oxygen but temporarily filter toxic smoke to make breathing easier.
The fire is believed to have been caused by combustible items placed on a cooker which was left on.
A London Fire Brigade spokesperson said: “The fire was discovered by a resident who could hear a smoke alarm sounding and called 999.
“On arrival crews could see smoke coming from a first-floor window and were faced with a heavily smoke logged room and a small fire near an electric cooker.
“It’s really important that you don’t leave cooking unattended and never leave fabrics, such as tea towels, near to a cooker or a hob, because they can catch alight very easily and flames can spread quickly.
“Please also take care with loose clothing that can easily catch fire. Don’t lean over the hob when cooking and roll up sleeves that might hang over the stove.
“This incident shows just how important it is to have working smoke alarms fitted in your home.
“Smoke alarms give the earliest possible warning when a fire starts and we would urge everyone to make sure they have one fitted in every room where a fire can start plus a heat alarm in the kitchen. They should be tested regularly.”
The Brigade was called at 0020 and the fire was under control by 0117. Three fire engines and around 15 firefighters from Leytonstone, Stratford and Leyton fire stations attended the scene.