The London Bulletin

[The Wise Old Owl]

THURSDAY 28 OCTOBER

Dagenham - house fire
Around twenty firefighters using breathing apparatus and thermal imaging equipment tackled a blaze in the roof of a house in Halbutt Street in Dagenham this morning. The family inside the house were woken by their smoke alarm and managed to leave the property before the arrival of the Brigade. The blaze destroyed the entire roof of the two storey house, as well as half of the roof next door. Fire investigation officers and police are looking into the cause of the blaze.
The Brigade was called at 0328 and the fire was under control by 0537. A crew from Dagenham fire station attended the incident.

[The Wise Old Owl]

FRIDAY 29 OCTOBER

Harlesden - flat blaze
Two people were rescued from a fire in a second floor flat in Old Oak Common Lane in Harlesden this morning. One man was rescued from a second floor window by fire crews using a ladder, and another was led to safety using an internal staircase. Both were taken to hospital suffering from smoke inhalation.
Ten people managed to leave the block of flats before the arrival of the Brigade. The blaze caused a small amount of damage to the second floor as well as smoke damage throughout the building. Fire investigation officers and police are working to determine the cause of the blaze.
The Brigade was called at 0201 and the fire was under control by 0252. A crew from Park Royal fire station attended the incident.

[The Wise Old Owl]

MONDAY 1 NOVEMBER

West Hampstead - woman rescued
Fire crews rescued a woman from a fierce fire which badly damaged the ground floor of a three storey house on Kingsgate Road in Kilburn last night. Firefighters wearing breathing apparatus managed to stop the blaze from spreading to the second floor. The woman was on the second floor, waving from her bedroom window and was persuaded to stay calm and not to jump while firefighters organised her rescue using a ladder. The cause of the fire is thought to be accidental. There were no smoke alarms fitted in the house and fire crews at the scene were reminding people that smoke alarms are inexpensive and easy to install, in this instance the woman was very lucky to have escaped with only smoke inhalation and shock.

The Brigade was called at 2327 and the fire was under control by 2355. Fire crews from West Hampstead, Paddington and Belsize fire stations attended the incident.

Dagenham - industrial estate
Fire crews fought a blaze which damaged two storage containers containing wooden kitchen units at an industrial estate on Eastern Avenue in Dagenham yesterday afternoon. Local roads were closed and residents living in four nearby houses were evacuated as a precautionary safety measure. Firefighters wore breathing apparatus to put out the blaze. The cause of the fire is still being investigated.

The Brigade was called at 1630 and the fire was under control by 1836. Fire crews from Dagenham, Ilford and Romford fire stations attended the incident.

[The Wise Old Owl]

THURSDAY 4 NOVEMBER

South Croydon - house blaze
Around twenty firefighters fought a blaze that gutted the third floor of a three storey house on Blenheim Park Road in South Croydon early this morning. The house is being refurbished, nobody was in the building at the time of the incident. Fire crews evacuated neighbouring residents as a precautionary measure. The cause of the fire is being investigated by police.

The Brigade was called at 0125 and the fire was under control by 0227. Fire crews from Croydon and Woodside fire stations attended the incident.

WEDNESDAY 3 NOVEMBER

Beckton - man dies after flat fire
A man has died following a fire in a three-storey block of flats in Albatross Close in Beckton yesterday afternoon. The blaze started in the ground floor flat where the man was found unconscious. He was carried to safety by firefighters and taken to hospital where he was pronounced dead. The fire destroyed around half of the flat and fire investigation officers believe that the cause of the fire was accidental.
The Brigade was called at 1346 and the fire was under control by 1433. Crews from East Ham, Plaistow and Silvertown fire stations attended the incident.


TUESDAY 2 NOVEMBER

Essex - recycling plant blaze
Around thirty firefighters are still attending a blaze which started yesterday morning at a recycling plant on Coldharbour Lane in Essex. A large amount of waste, including wood has been burning for over twenty four hours. Fire crews remained on site all day yesterday and overnight making steady progress to bring the blaze under control. Firefighters are expected to main at the scene throughout the day. The fire is not being treated as suspicious.

The Brigade was called yesterday at 0630.

Greenwich - historic fire boat sinks
Fire crews attempted to rescue the former London Fire Brigade boat Massey Shaw, which began to sink in the river Thames yesterday afternoon. During WWII the Massey Shaw played a vital firefighting role during the blitz, pumping water to shore based fire engines after water mains had been damaged. The boat was also involved in the Dunkirk rescue campaign. Around thirty per cent of the boat became submerged in water last night as the tide came in. Firefighters helped to secure the boat to the dock near Norway Street in Greenwich, but around thirty per cent of the vessel became submerged beneath water.

The Brigade was called 1436. Fire crews from Deptford, Greenwich (Scheduled to lose its pump under the Draft London Safety plan), Lewisham and Poplar fire stations attended the incident.

Fire Boat Latest
Following the sinking of historic fire boat Massey Shaw on Monday, salvage experts have now successfully re-floated the boat. Later today Massey Shaw will be towed to Lambeth where refurbishment worked will be carried out.

[The Wise Old Owl]

FRIDAY 5 NOVEMBER

Bonfire night
The total number of calls received by the London Fire Brigade up until Midnight on November 5th this year was 1382. The Brigade normally receives between 300 and 400 calls a day.

Between 1700 and 2200hrs the Brigade received 663 calls. 44 of these calls related specifically to bonfire/fireworks incidents.

[The Wise Old Owl]

MONDAY 8 NOVEMBER

Forest Gate - woman dies after fire
A woman has died following a house fire on Horace Road in Forest Gate last night. Her body was found by fire crews after a blaze broke out on the ground floor of the two-storey terraced house. Crews attempted to resuscitate her but she was later pronounced dead at the scene. The fire destroyed around thirty per cent of the ground floor and fire investigation officers are working with police to determine the exact cause of the blaze.
The Brigade was called at 1820 and the fire was under control by 1903. A crew from Stratford fire station attended the incident.

Regents Park - shop blaze
Thirty firefighters tackled a fire at a sports shop in Outer Circle, Regents Park on Friday night. The blaze destroyed almost all of the single storey shop and fire investigation officers are looking into the cause of the blaze.
The Brigade was called at 2123 and the fire was under control by 0013. Crews from Manchester Square (Scheduled to lose its pump under the Draft London Safety plan), Soho (LIKELY TO BE MUCH BUSIER AFTER THE LOSS OF SO MANY SURROUNDING STNS PUMPS - 5) and Knightsbridge (Scheduled to lose its pump under the Draft London Safety plan), attended the incident.

[The Wise Old Owl]

TUESDAY 9 NOVEMBER

Brentford - nine escape fire
Nine people including an eight week old baby managed to escape from a fire in a block of flats on Burford Road in Brentford yesterday. The fire started in a ground floor flat in the two storey building. Neighbours helped five adults and the baby down a ladder before the arrival of the Brigade. A further three adults managed to escape by a back door.
The blaze destroyed the ground floor flat and caused severe smoke damage throughout the building. Fire investigation officers are working with police to determine the exact cause of the blaze.
The Brigade was called at 0651 and the fire was under control by 1033. Crews from Chiswick and Heston (Due to gain a pump under the London Safety Plan) fire stations attended the incident.

Kingsbury - woman dies following fire
A woman has died following a fire at Girton Avenue in Kingsbury last night. The Brigade was called after neighbours reported seeing smoke coming from the semi-detached maisonette. Fire crews discovered the body of the 86 year old woman and she was later pronounced dead at the scene. Fire investigation officers are investigating the blaze, which is theought to have started accidentally and may have been caused by a discarded cigarette.
The blaze destroyed around half of the house and caused smoke damage throughout the property.
The Brigade was called at 2335 and the fire was under control by 0030. A crew from Stanmore fire station attended the incident.

[The Wise Old Owl]

FRIDAY 12 NOVEMBER

Canning Town - old post office blaze
Around twenty firefighters using breathing apparatus tackled a blaze in a disused Canning Town post office last night. The Brigade was called to the building in Stephenson Street after passers-by saw smoke coming from the nine-storey building. The fire destroyed around half of the seventh floor as well as causing serious smoke damage throughout the rest of the property. Fire investigation officers are still working to determine the exact cause of the blaze.
The Brigade was called at 1855 and the fire was under control by 2022. Crews from Poplar and Silvertown fire stations attended the incident.

Greenford - roof fire
A family managed to escape from a house fire on Mansell Road in Greenford last night. The blaze started in the attic of the two-storey house setting fire to the roof. The family left the house before Brigade arrived.
The fire destroyed almost all of the roof and fire investigation officers are currently looking into the cause of the blaze which they believe may have started accidentally.
The Brigade was called at 1909 and the fire was under control by 1938. A crew from Southall fire station attended the incident.

THURSDAY 11 NOVEMBER

Wembley - shop fire
Around thirty firefighters using breathing apparatus and thermal imaging equipment tackled a blaze in a shop on Preston Road in Wembley yesterday afternoon. The blaze destroyed the entire shop and first floor of a two-storey flat above, as well as causing severe smoke damage throughout the building. Occupants living in the flat above the shop managed to leave before the Brigade arrived. Fire investigation officers are currently looking into the cause of the blaze.
The Brigade was called at 1630 and the fire was under control by 1751. Crews from Wembley, Stanmore and Park Royal fire stations attended the incident.

Kidbrooke - four people escape blaze
Four people managed to escape from a fire in a terraced house on Elford Close in Kidbrooke early this morning. The blaze started on the ground floor of the two-storey house and quickly spread to the stairwell. Three adults jumped from a first floor window before the Brigade arrived, and a child was helped down from the window by a passer-by. All four were taken to hospital suffering from minor injuries.
The blaze destroyed the entire ground floor and part of the first floor. A smoke alarm was fitted inside the house but the battery had been removed. This may have given them more time to escape.
The Brigade was called at 0200 and the fire was under control by 0353. Crews from Lee Green and Lewisham fire stations attended the incident.

WEDNESDAY 10 NOVEMBER

Bethnal Green - flats fire
Firefighters using breathing apparatus tackled a blaze in a block of flats on Roberta Street in Bethnal Green this morning. The fire started in a ground floor store room causing a number of propane cylinders stored nearby to overheat. Some cylinders can explode when exposed to high temperatures, and residents within the six storey block were advised to stay inside their flats while fire crews worked to cool down the cylinders. The blaze caused substantial damage to the store room. Fire investigation officers are working with police to help determine the exact cause of the fire.
The Brigade was called at 0200 and the fire was under control by 0258. A crew from Bethnal Green (Scheduled to lose its pump under the Draft London Safety plan) fire station attended the incident.

[The Wise Old Owl]

MONDAY 15 NOVEMBER

Marylebone - roof blaze
Fire crews were called to a blaze which badly damaged the roof above flats and a shop on Charlotte Street in Marylebone this morning. Firefighters wore breathing apparatus and used thermal imagining equipment to bring the fire under control. Crews will remain at the scene this morning to make sure the area is safe. The cause of the fire is not yet known and will be investigated.

The Brigade was called at 0526 and the fire was under control by 0626. Fire crews from Euston fire station (Scheduled to lose its pump under the Draft London Safety plan) attended the incident.

South Norwood - building explosion
A single storey taxi office building on Portland Road in South Norwood was completely destroyed by fire and an explosion early this morning. Around twenty firefighters were called to the scene. The cause of the fire is being investigated by police.

The Brigade was called at 0350 and the fire was under control by 0735. Fire crews from Woodside fire station attended the incident.

[The Wise Old Owl]

FRIDAY 19 NOVEMBER

Southall - women rescued
Two women were rescued by firefighters after a shop fire on South Road in Southall this morning. Around thirty firefighters tackled the blaze in the ground floor shop which quickly spread to an empty flat above. Fire crews helped the two women to safety down a fire escape after they became trapped by smoke in a flat next door. Both were taken to hospital suffering from smoke inhalation.
The blaze destroyed around sixty per cent of the building and fire investigation officers are currently looking into the cause of the fire.
The Brigade was called at 0039 and the fire was under control by 0257. Crews from Southall, Hayes and Acton (Scheduled to lose its pump under the Draft London Safety plan) fire stations attended the incident.

THURSDAY 18 NOVEMBER

Wembley - two rescued from house blaze
Firefighters rescued a man and a woman from a blaze at a house on Neeld Crescent in Wembley early this morning. Two other woman and a man managed to get out of the property before the Brigade arrived. The fire started in a room on the ground floor and fire crews managed to stop it from spreading to the rest of the house. The cause of the fire is being investigated. A Brigade spokesman said, "Fire officers at the scene of this incident could not find a smoke alarm in the property. Smoke alarms are inexpensive, easy to fit and will give you time to get out safely in the event of a fire."

The Brigade was called at 0337 and the fire was under control by 0438. Crews from Wembley fire station attended the incident.

Maida Vale - flat fire
Around twenty firefighters were needed to deal with a fire which badly damaged a ground floor flat on Elmfield Way in Maida Vale last night. Fire crews wore breathing apparatus to bring the blaze under control. The entire ground floor of the flat was heavily smoke logged. The cause of the fire is being investigated.

The Brigade was called at 2311 and the fire was under control by 0006. Crews from Paddington and North Kensington.

TUESDAY 16 NOVEMBER

New Southgate - fire fatalities
Two older women have been found dead at the scene of a fire in a house on Queens Road in New Southgate this morning. Fire damaged half of a bedroom on the first floor of the two storey house. At this stage there is no information to suggest this incident was suspicious. The cause of the fire will be investigated.

The Brigade was called at 0729 and the fire was under control at 0819. Fire crews from Southgate, Finchley (Due to gain a pump under the London Safety Plan) and Hornsey fire stations attended the incident.

Upper Edmonton - factory fire
Around thirty firefighters attended a blaze which gutted a factory building of two floors on Bull Lane in Upper Edmonton last night. The cause of the fire, which damaged half of the ground floor, all of the first floor and most of the roof is being investigated. Fire crews used thermal imaging equipment and wore breathing apparatus to bring the blaze under control. Nobody was in the building at the time of the incident.

The Brigade was called at 1951 and the fire was under control by 2155. Fire crews from Edmonton, Southgate and Enfield fire stations attended the incident.