House fire prompts cooking safety reminder from firefighters - Thamesmead

Firefighters are issuing a cooking safety reminder after a fire at a house on Eastgate Close in Thamesmead.

Part of the first and second floor and loft space of an end of terraced house was damaged by fire. One adult and three children left the property before the arrival of the Brigade. There were no reports of any injuries.

Fire investigators believe the fire was caused by unattended cooking.

A London Fire Brigade spokesperson said: “This incident is a timely reminder to make sure you never leave cooking unattended. If you do have to leave the room or house, turn the heat off.” 

The Brigade was called at 2236 and the fire was under control by 0016. Four fire engines and around 25 firefighters from Plumstead, Erith and Bexley fire stations attended the scene.

The Brigade’s top kitchen safety tips: 

• Never leave cooking unattended, even for a moment
• Always make sure the cooker is switched off once you’ve finished using it 
• Keep your oven, hob and grill clean and free from grease – a build up can be a fire hazard 
• Don’t store things like cookbooks or teatowels close to the hob as they can easily catch fire 
• Avoid cooking if you’ve been drinking alcohol 
• Never fill a pan more than a third full with oil 
• Dry chips before putting them in oil 
• Never throw water onto hot oil or fat 
• If a fire does break out you should turn the heat off if it’s safe to do so but don’t try to tackle the fire by yourself.
• Get everyone out of the house and call 999 immediately