Four fire engines and around 25 firefighters tackled a flat fire on Balfour Place in Mayfair.
Most of a ground-floor flat was damaged by fire. Two people left the building before the Brigade arrived. Firefighters wearing breathing apparatus led a further four people to safety using fire escape hoods. There were no reports of any injuries.
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.
The fire is believed to have been accidental and caused by a fault in a fridge freezer.
A London Fire Brigade spokesperson said: "This incident serves as an important reminder to make sure that your white goods aren't a hidden fire hazard in your home.
"If your white goods start making strange noises, don't ignore it. If you think there's a problem, always unplug it and contact the manufacturer or a qualified repair technician.
"Most fires where white goods are the source of ignition are not down to anything you have done - so always make sure you register your appliances as you'll be informed if any issues are identified with the product you've bought."
The Brigade’s Control Officers took the first call to the fire at 0402 and gave fire survival guidance to those inside the property on how to stay safe before firefighters arrived. Crews from Soho, Paddington and Euston fire stations attended the scene. The fire was under control by 0517.
Practical steps for white goods safety:
- If you are concerned about the safety of a product stop using it and make your concern known to the retailer, manufacturer or your local Trading Standards office.
- Clean your tumble dryer filter after every load.
- Don't overload sockets with lots of energy-hungry appliances – follow the one plug per socket rule.
- A list of recalled products is available on the gov.uk Product Recall page.
- Take extra care with second-hand appliances, ensure they have been safety checked and are not listed on the product recall register.
- Always make sure new appliances are registered so that manufacturers can contact you in the event of any problems – it takes minutes on registermyappliance.org.uk