Warning issued after man suffers burns tackling Neasden house fire

Brigade bosses are warning people against tackling a fire in their home after a man suffered burns to his hands during a blaze in Neasden.

Fire crews rescued the man, and two other occupants, from the semi-detached house on the North Circular Road, following the blaze which started by a candle placed to close to a laundry basket.

All were treated for smoke inhalation.

The occupants had tried to extinguish a fire in the laundry basket on Thursday evening and believing they had succeeded moved it to the first floor landing at the top of the stairs

However clothing inside the basket rekindled and the fire spread to the staircase and timber wall covering inside the house in the early hours of Friday morning.

The fire spread and the man suffered his injuries as he attempted to fight a second blaze with buckets of water from the kitchen.

Station Manager Gareth Cook, who was at the scene, is warning residents not to tackle a blaze but to leave the property.

He said: “I cannot stress how important it is to never try and tackle a fire yourself.

“A fire can develop incredibly quickly and by trying to put it out, you not only put yourself and others at risk, you increase the chances of the fire spreading.

“When a fire starts in your home, your priority must be to get out, stay out and call 999.”