House fire - Bromley

Firefighters rescued a cat from a house fire on Pontefract Road in Bromley on Thursday. 

The ground floor was destroyed and most of the first floor was damaged by the fire. One woman left the building before the Brigade arrived and was treated on scene by London Ambulance Service crews.

One cat was rescued from the fire by crews wearing breathing apparatus. Firefighter Rawlins and Firefighter Haines used an oxygen mask to revive the cat.

Station Commander Daniel Capon, who was at the scene, said: “Crews did a great job in challenging conditions to tackle this house fire and then were able to focus on Sage, the 18-month old cat they had rescued.

“The crews were quick to get to work and ultimately saved the cat's life."

The fire is believed to have been accidental and caused by a lighter left too close to a combustible items. 

The Brigade was called at 1225 (Thursday 6th June) and the incident was over for firefighters at 1348. Four fire engines and around 25 firefighters from Bromley, Lee Green and Lewisham fire stations attended the scene.

Firefighters' tips for using matches and lighters safely:

• Make sure lighters and matches are out and cold before disposing of them or putting them away.
• Preferably wet matches before throwing them into a bin (never a wastepaper basket).
• Never place discarded lighters or matches on to materials that can easily catch fire, like bedding.
• Keep matches and lighters out of the reach of children.
• Fit smoke alarms in any room where a fire could start in your home. In smoky or steamy rooms, like your kitchen or bathroom, a heat alarm is more suitable.