Firefighters have issued an urgent safety warning after four house and flat fires across London over the Christmas period were all caused by candles. The spate of incidents occurred in just four days, prompting London Fire Brigade to remind residents of the dangers of leaving naked flames unattended.
Among the incidents, crews were called to a house on Town Road, Edmonton, where flames spread from a bedroom to the rest of the first floor and the roof. Twenty-five firefighters attended, and one woman was taken to hospital, while another woman and a child escaped just before 7.30pm on Saturday. On Christmas Day, a blaze damaged part of the first floor of a house on Princes Park Lane, Hayes, and in the early hours of the same day, a flat fire on Elmwood Road in Croydon was caused by a candle igniting bedding, though three people escaped unhurt. On Christmas Eve, six fire engines and around 40 firefighters tackled a fire at a maisonette in Peckham, where two adults were treated for smoke inhalation after a candle was left unattended.
London Fire Brigade Deputy Assistant Commissioner Richard Arnold said: "Fires can cause devastation all year round, but this is heightened around Christmas with families potentially left homeless and possessions destroyed. We want to ensure Londoners take every precaution to prevent fires from spoiling the festive period. Keep candles well away from any Christmas decorations. Decorations can easily fuel a fire and as Christmas trees dry out, they can burn quickly and cause flames to spread in seconds."
He added: "Consider using battery-powered, flameless LED candles instead, which are safe even if you fall asleep. If you do choose to use traditional candles ensure you place them in a heat-resistant holder, on a stable surface where they won’t be knocked over and away from materials that could catch fire. Never leave them unattended around your home, take particular care with children and pets and blow them out properly before you go to bed."
The warnings come as London faces one of its coldest spells of the winter, and residents may turn to portable heaters to keep warm. Following a house fire on Christmas Day on Haselbury Road, Edmonton, thought to have been caused by textiles left too close to a fan heater, DAC Arnold urged caution. He said: "The rise in energy costs means there’s a very real risk of heating-related fires. It’s absolutely vital that heaters are kept well away from curtains, furniture, paperwork and are never used to dry clothes. Always sit at least a metre away from the heater, supervise children carefully and position a heater where it won’t be knocked over and away from pets."
