House fire - Ilford

Firefighters are sharing their cooking safety tips after a house fire on The Drive in Ilford.

Part of the ground floor of a semi-detached house was damaged by fire. A man left the building before the Brigade arrived and was assessed on scene by London Ambulance Service crews.

The fire is believed to have been accidental and caused by cooking.

A London Fire Brigade spokesperson said: “Fires are more likely to start in the kitchen than any other room in the home.

“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. Remember, if you have to leave the kitchen, turn off the heat.”

The Brigade was called at 1945 and the fire was under control by 2141. Fire crews from Leytonstone, Stratford, East Ham and Woodford fire stations attended the scene.

Firefighters' cooking safety tips

• Be fabric aware – loose clothing can easily catch fire, so take care not to lean over a hot hob, and always keep tea towels and cloths away from the cooker and hob.
• Have a heat alarm fitted in your kitchen. Fitting a heat alarm in your kitchen will give you warning of an increase in temperature caused by a fire but will not be set off by cooking fumes.
• Not feeling 100 per cent? Order a takeaway – if you're very tired, have been drinking alcohol or are taking medication that might make you drowsy, it's safer not to risk it.
• Double check the cooker and hob are turned off when you’ve finished cooking.
• Always keep an eye on children and pets in the kitchen: don't leave them unsupervised; put matches away; and keep saucepan handles out of reach.