Four fire engines and around 25 firefighters attended a fire at a block of flats on Hevelius Close in Greenwich.
Part of a flat on the second floor of a three-storey residential block was damaged by fire whilst part of a corridor outside the flat was damaged by smoke. Firefighters used fire escape hoods to rescue three people from flats on the second floor via an internal staircase. One person was taken to hospital as a precaution to be treated for smoke inhalation.
London firefighters were among the first in the UK to carry fire escape hoods when they were introduced in 2018 as part of improvements following the Grenfell Tower fire. The 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.
A London Fire Brigade spokesperson said: "Thanks to working smoke alarms, residents at this building were quickly alerted to a fire occurring. This enabled firefighters to arrive promptly on scene and rescue three people, using our fire escape hoods to protect them from the smoke that had travelled into the communal areas. Our Control Officers also gave vital Fire Survival Guidance on how to stay safe to residents in neighbouring flats before firefighters arrived.
"This incident shows just how important it is to have working smoke alarms fitted on every level of 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 except kitchens or bathrooms where heat alarms are more appropriate.”
The Brigade was called at 0507 and Control Officers mobilised crews from East Greenwich, Greenwich and Deptford fire stations to the scene.
The cause of the fire is under investigation by the Brigade and Metropolitan Police.