A man is being described as “lucky” to have escaped injury after attempting to tackle a fire that forced 10 people to flee from a flat in Bethnal Green on Sunday morning.
The London Fire Brigade was called to Wolverley Street at around 9.45am on March 23, after flames broke out in a second-floor flat, destroying part of the property. Ten residents managed to escape the building before firefighters arrived, but one individual tried to extinguish the blaze himself — prompting a safety warning from fire officials.
Station Officer John Thompson, who attended the scene, said: “Due to smoke logging, residents in a neighbouring flat were not able to pass the communal areas. In this case, we recommended shutting doors to help contain the smoke and prevent it spreading to other areas of the building.
“The man who attempted to tackle the fire was lucky not to be seriously hurt. We would like to remind residents — if there is a fire, get out, stay out and dial 999.”
Thankfully, no injuries were reported. Fire crews from Bethnal Green, Shoreditch, Shadwell and Whitechapel fire stations brought the blaze under control just after 10.30am.
The fire has been deemed accidental, with investigators believing it was caused by an electrical fault in a hairdryer.
