Faulty appliance blamed for fourth floor blaze
A woman suffered from shock and 12 people were evacuated after a fire in a Harlesden tower block.
Fire crews were called to the blaze on the fourth floor flat of the building in Harlesden Road on Saturday at around 6.30pm.
A total of 12 residents living on the fourth to tenth floors were rescued.
No one was seriously injured or needed hospital treatment.
The female resident of the flat which caught on fire was vacuuming her home when she noticed sparks and flames coming from her cleaner.
She unplugged the appliance, escaped from her flat and called the fire brigade.
She was treated for shock.
To mark Electrical Fire Safety Week which started today (Monday), The London Fire Brigade has released new figures show to show that half of all accidental house fires in 2010/11 were caused by faulty or misused electrical equipment.
They are warning residents not to overload plug sockets, regularly check for worn or frayed wires, unplug appliances when not in use, keep appliances clean and in good working order and consider using an RCD - Residual Current Device - which works like a circuit breaker to protect against electric shocks and reduces the risk of electrical fires.
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