Islington - flat fire

Four fire engines and 21 firefighters and officers were called in the early hours of this morning to a fire at a flat in Bath Street, Islington.

Half of a third-floor flat was damaged by fire. Firefighters rescued a woman from the property. She was suffering from smoke inhalation and taken to hospital by London Ambulance Service crews.

The cause of the fire is believed to be a discarded cigarette coming into contact with bedding.

A London Fire Brigade spokesperson said: “Smoking vastly increases the risk of having a fire in your home.

“We’d rather you didn’t smoke at all, but if you are a smoker it’s absolutely vital you ensure your cigarette is completely out when you’ve finished smoking it.

“If you don’t you are at risk of starting a fire that could destroy not only your home but your life and the lives of your loved ones.”

London Fire Brigade has issued the following advice for smokers:

• Put it out, right out - always make sure your cigarette is fully extinguished.
• Take extra care when you’re tired or have been drinking alcohol. It’s very easy to fall asleep without realising that your cigarette is still burning.
• Never smoke in bed - if you need to lie down, don’t light up. You could doze off and set your bed on fire.
• Never leave lit cigarettes cigars or pipes unattended - they can easily overbalance as they burn down, land on a carpet or newspaper and start a fire.
• Where possible buy child-resistant lighters and matchboxes - every year children die by starting fires with matches and lighters.
• Use a proper, heavy ashtray that can’t tip over easily and is made of a material that won’t burn.
• Tap your ash into an ashtray – never a wastebasket – and don’t let the ash or cigarette ends build up in the ashtray.
• Fit and maintain a smoke alarm on each level of your home - when a fire starts, you only have a few minutes to escape. A working smoke alarm can buy you valuable time to get out, stay out and dial 999.

The Brigade was called at 0258 and the fire was under control at 0430. Fire crews from Shoreditch, Whitechapel, Dowgate, and Islington fire stations attended the scene.