Six fire engines and 35 firefighters and officers were called to a flat fire on Tottenham High Road last night (Thursday, 4 May).
The fire damaged around half of a fourth floor flat in the nineteen storey block.
Watch Manager Mike Cotton said: ”The fire was going quite well when we arrived and crews worked hard to get it under control and prevent it from spreading to neighbouring properties.”
The Brigade’s ‘999’ control operators gave fire survival guidance to two residents on the ninth floor who had seen smoke from their windows but as the fire wasn’t directly affecting them they were advised to stay where they were and firefighters were sent to reassure them.
The Brigade was called at 2334 and the fire was under control at 0059. Crews from Tottenham, Edmonton and Stoke Newington fire stations attended the incident. The cause of the fire is under investigation.
Living in a flat is not more dangerous than living in a house but it’s important to know that your fire plan should be different.
If buildings are built and maintained correctly, walls, floors and doors in flats and maisonettes give you protection from fire – a minimum of 30 to 60 minutes – so, if there is a fire elsewhere in the building but not inside your home you're usually safer staying in your flat unless heat or smoke is affecting you. Stay put and call 999. If you leave your flat you could be rushing into smoke, the fire itself or firefighters using equipment to bring the fire under control in another part of the building.
If there is a fire inside your flat or maisonette, or you are being directly affected by it, our advice is to leave, close the door behind you and call 999.