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News Release

Issued: 21.01.09
At: 15:00hrs
For immediate release

Firefighters Rescue Man from Flat Fire

At approximately 7am this morning, Leicestershire Fire and Rescue Service received a call to a flat fire at Toms Court in Kegworth.

Crews from Loughborough Fire and Rescue Station attended the incident to find the first floor flat alight and heavily smoke logged.

Firefighters entered the property wearing breathing apparatus to rescue an elderly gentleman. They used a hose reel jet to extinguish the fire.

The fire was caused by a carelessly discarded cigarette. There was severe fire and smoke damage to the bathroom; this is where the fire was deemed to have started. The remainder of the property was damaged by smoke.

The elderly gentleman who lived in the flat was conscious and was helped to safety. He was given medical assistance by the fire service for smoke inhalation at the scene. He was subsequently transferred to hospital.

Graham Robb, Watch Manager at Loughborough Fire and Rescue Station said:

‘When not put out fully, cigarettes are the single biggest cause of fires in the home and these incidents tend to start at night. In this case, because of the Automatic Fire Alarm, we were able to attend the scene quickly, help the gentleman to safety and put the fire out. We recommend that you take the following precautions to prevent an incident like this occurring:

Put it out, right out - make sure your cigarette is fully extinguished

Take extra care when you’re tired, taking medication or have been drinking alcohol - It’s very easy to fall asleep without realising that your cigarette is still burning

Never smoke in bed - if you need to lie down, don’t light up. You could doze off and set your bed on fire

Never leave lit cigarettes cigars or pipes unattended - they can easily overbalance as they burn down, land on a carpet or newspaper and start a fire

Use a proper, heavy ashtray - that can’t tip over easily and is made of a material that won’t burn

Tap your ash into an ashtray - never a wastebasket - and don’t let the ash or cigarette ends build up in the ashtray’

Please make sure your home is fitted with a working smoke alarm. Leicestershire Fire and Rescue Service can fit smoke detectors at the same time as a Home Safety Check; we are particularly trying to target vulnerable groups within the community. If you would like to find out more about Home Safety Checks then please call 0116 287 2241 to ask for a visit.

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Notes to News Desk

Home Safety Checks

Home Safety Checks involve crews visiting people at home and offering advice on all aspects on fire safety in the home from electrical safety, the safe disposal of smoking materials, through to the fitting and maintenance of smoke alarms and the developing of a plan to get out in the event of a fire.

Contact Information

For more information please contact:
Corporate Communications
Leicestershire Fire and Rescue Service
Tel 0116 287 2241