Six people escape house fire as safety warning issued over smoking

The Freezywater blaze started in a rear garden used by smokers before spreading to the house next door

A fire at a Freezywater property has been blamed by London Fire Brigade on the “unsafe disposal” of smoking materials.

The blaze started in a garden in Holly Road yesterday (Monday 21st) afternoon, before spreading to a neighbouring house.

The blaze destroyed half of the rear garden and the whole of the ground floor and half of the first floor and roof of the adjacent property.

The brigade was called at 2.31pm and the fire was under control by 5.05pm. Six fire engines and around 40 firefighters from Hertfordshire Fire and Rescue, Edmonton and Enfield fire stations attended the scene. Crews used a 32-metre turntable ladder as a water tower to tackle the blaze.

Six adults escaped before the brigade arrived.

A spokesperson for London Fire Brigade issued a remainder of safety advice around smoking following the incident.

They said: “Smoking is still one of the leading causes of fire in London.

“While we’d rather you didn’t smoke at all, if you are a smoker, it’s vital you make sure that your cigarette is completely out when you’ve finished smoking it and disposed of responsibly. If you don’t, you risk causing a fire which could not only destroy your home but also cost you your life.

“A single careless act, such as a discarded cigarette, can have devastating consequences – threatening lives, destroying multiple homes and displacing families in a matter of minutes.

“Remember that non-smokers are reliant on others to put their cigarettes right out when they’ve finished them. Make sure you dispose of your smoking materials safely in an ashtray and never drop ash or throw cigarettes from balconies.”

London Fire Brigade publishes an online home fire safety checker to help people make sure there are no hidden hazards in their home.

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