The London Bulletin

[The Wise Old Owl]

THURSDAY 16 DECEMBER

Mayfair - hotel fire
Fire crews were called to an incident at a six storey hotel on Brook Street in Mayfair this morning. 1300 people were evacuated from the building. Around thirty firefighters fought a small fire found in ducting leading from the basement to the roof. The fire caused heavy smoke logging on the ground floor and basement area. The cause of the fire is being investigated.

The Brigade was called at 1055. Fire crews from Manchester Square (Scheduled to close under the Draft London Safety Plan), Knightsbridge (Scheduled to lose its pump under the Draft London Safety plan), Westminster (Scheduled to lose its pump under the Draft London Safety plan)' Paddington and Soho fire stations attended the incident.

[The Wise Old Owl]

FRIDAY 24 DECEMBER

Brixton - man rescued
Firefighters rescued a man from a ground floor flat on Cumnor Close in Brixton this morning. A small fire had accidentally started in the kitchen. The man was taken to hospital suffering from smoke inhalation. Fire crews managed to stop the fire from spreading to other rooms in the flat. The property had not been fitted with a smoke alarm. A London Fire Brigade spokesman said: "If a working smoke alarm had been in place the occupier could have been alerted to the fire much sooner. Smoke alarms are inexpensive, easy to install and provide those vital seconds required to get out and call the fire brigade."

The Brigade was called 0303. Fire crews from Brixton fire station attended the incident.

Shepherds Bush - flat blaze
Fire crews were called to a blaze at a ground floor flat on Coningham Road in Shepherds Bush this morning. Crews wearing breathing apparatus extinguished the blaze and assisted a man and a woman from flats on the first and second floor via an internal staircase. The fire is thought to have been started by a discarded cigarette, fire crews also found unattended candles in the flat.

Station Officer Geoff Chapman said "People must make sure that cigarettes are put out properly and candles should never be left unattended and should be placed in a heat resistant holder well away from combustible items such as curtains and upholstery."

The Brigade was called at 0214. Fire crews from Hammersmith and Acton (Scheduled to lose its pump under the Draft London Safety plan) fire stations attended the incident.

THURSDAY 23 DECEMBER

Holloway - man rescued
Fire crews rescued a man from a small fire at his flat on Rosedale Court in Holloway this morning. The fire is thought to have been caused by a discarded cigarette. The man was taken to hospital suffering from smoke inhalation. A fire brigade spokesman said "Firefighters were quick on the scene to get the man out and bring the fire under control, but this could easily have been a fatal incident. We cannot stress enough how important it is that when people have finished a cigarette they make sure it is properly out."

The Brigade was called at 0209. A fire crew from Holloway fire station attended the incident.

Marylebone - car park fire
Over twenty firefighters fought a fire in an underground car park on Lisson Grove in Marylebone yesterday. The fire completely damaged a single parked car. Fire crews wore breathing apparatus to fight the fire which caused heavy smoke within the area. One woman living in a property above the car park was taken to hospital suffering from slight smoke inhalation. The cause of the fire is being investigated.

The Brigade was called at 1435. Fire crews from Manchester Square (Scheduled to close under the London Safety Plan) and Paddington fire stations attended the incident.

Wandsworth - flat fire
Fire crews were called to blaze at a flat on the twenty first floor of a twenty five storey building on Wandsworth High Street yesterday. The flat was badly damaged by smoke caused by the fire. Swift action by firefighters ensured that the fire did not spread to other properties. One man left the flat before the brigade arrived. The cause of the fire is being investigated.

The Brigade was called at 1326. Fire crews from Wandsworth and Battersea fire stations attended the incident.

WEDNESDAY 22 DECEMBER

Uxbridge - canal boat blaze
Around twenty firefighters fought a blaze which badly damaged a canal boat on the Grand Union Canal in Uxbridge this morning. The cause of the fire is not yet known and will be investigated. Firefighters evacuated approximately 15 people from other nearby canal boats as a precautionary safety measure. The area will remain cordoned off this morning while police and fire investigation officers attend the scene.

The Brigade was called at 0347. Fire crews from Hillingdon (Due to gain a pump under the London Safety Plan) and Hayes fire stations attended the incident.

TUESDAY 21 DECEMBER

West Hendon - fire destroys pavilion
Around twenty firefighters tackled a blaze in a disused cricket pavilion on Cool Oak in Hendon last night. The fire destroyed the entire single storey building which was empty at the time. Fire investigation officers are working with the police to determine the exact cause of the blaze.
The Brigade was called at 1805 and the fire was under control by 1847. Crews from Hendon and West Hampstead fire stations attended the incident.

Enfield - supermarket blaze
A rubbish fire is believed to have caused damage to the roof of a supermarket on Green Lanes in Winchmore Hill, Enfield this morning. The blaze started in rubbish left behind the supermarket and quickly spread to the roof. Firefighters using an hydraulic platform managed to prevent the fire spreading to the remainder of the two storey building. The blaze destroyed a small area of the roof and caused smoke damage to the outside of the building. Fire investigation officers are working with police to determine the exact cause of the blaze.
The Brigade was called at 0011 and the fire was under control by 0224. Crews from Southgate and Enfield fire stations attended the incident.

MONDAY 20 DECEMBER

South Croydon - roof blaze
Twenty firefighters using breathing apparatus tackled a blaze in a derelict house on Pampisford Road in South Croydon this morning. The fire destroyed the entire roof of the building which was empty at the time. Fire investigation officers are currently at the scene working to determine the exact cause of the blaze.
The Brigade was called at 0129 and the fire was under control by 0253. Crews from Purley and Croydon fire stations attended the incident.

Cranham - church fire
Firefighters were called to a fire last night at a disused church hall in Saint Mary's Lane in Cranham yesterday afternoon. The blaze destroyed around half of the first floor of the two storey building and fire investigation officers are currently looking into the cause of the fire.
The Brigade was called at 1528 and the fire was under control by 1623. Crews from Hornchurch and Romford fire stations attended the incident.

Dulwich - house blaze
Ten people escaped a house fire yesterday afternoon on Croxted Road in Dulwich. The blaze started in the loft of the two storey building amd destroyed most of the loft and part of the roof. One person was taken to hospital suffering from minor smoke inhalation.The fire is believed to have been started accidentally.
The Brigade was called at 1528 and the fire was under control by 1519. Crews from West Norwood and Brixton attended the incident.

Raynes Park - woman rescued
A woman was rescued from a flat fire on West Barnes Lane in Raynes Park on Sunday morning. The blaze started in the first floor flat where the woman became trapped by thick smoke. She was escorted to safety by firefighters using the internal staircase and taken to hospital suffering from smoke inhalation. The fire destroyed a small area of the flat and is believed to have been started accidentally.
The Brigade was called at 0118 and the fire was under control by 0146. Crews from New Malden fire station attended the incident.

[The Wise Old Owl]

WEDNESDAY 29 DECEMBER

Cricklewood - industrial estate blaze
Around thirty firefighters fought a blaze at a two storey building inside an industrial estate on Oxgate Lane, Cricklewood this morning. The first floor of the building was completely gutted and the ground floor was also badly damaged during the incident. Fire crews wore breathing apparatus to bring the fire under control.The cause of the fire is being investigated.

The Brigade was called at 0512 and the fire was under control by 0750. Fire crews from Willesden, North Kensington and West Hampstead fire stations attended the incident.

[The Wise Old Owl]

WEDNESDAY 29 DECEMBER

West Drayton - fire fatality
An older man has died following a fire at a house on Swan Road in West Drayton. The man received medical attention at the scene of the incident and was taken to hospital. The fire is thought to have started accidentally and badly damaged the kitchen of the house.

The Brigade was called at 1052 and the fire was under control by 1120. Fire crews from Hayes fire station attended the incident.

[The Wise Old Owl]

RIDAY 31 DECEMBER

Purley - restaurant blaze
Firefighters using breathing apparatus and thermal imaging equipment tackled a fire in a restaurant on Whytecliffe Road South in Purley this morning. The blaze gutted almost all of the single storey building which was empty at the time. Fire investigation officers are currently looking into the cause of the blaze.
The Brigade was called at 0359 and the fire was under control by 0454. Crews from Purley and Croydon attended the incident.

Croydon - fire fatality
An older man has died following a fire in a house on Croydon Road in Croydon on Thursday morning. The blaze is believed to have started after a chip pan was left unattended on a cooker. Firefighters found the body of the man on the first floor of the detached two storey house, and he was later pronounced dead at the scene. The fire destroyed around a quarter of the first floor.
The Brigade was called at 1052 and the fire was under control by 1109. Crews from Wallington and Croydon fire stations attended the incident.

[The Wise Old Owl]

TUESDAY 4 JANUARY

Clerkenwell - office fire
An electric fire is believed to have caused a blaze in a range of office units on Bakers Row in Clerkenwell yesterday afternoon. The fire started on the ground floor of the office which was empty at the time. The blaze destroyed a small area of the office and caused smoke damage to the floor above.
When leaving a building unattended for a long time, people are reminded to make sure that all electrical appliances that do not need to be left on are switched off .
The Brigade was called at 1408 and the fire was under control by 1501. A crew from Clerkenwell (Scheduled to lose its pump under the Draft London Safety plan) attended the incident (2 appliances from Clerkenwell, the pump from Shoreditch, the Damage Control Unit from Finchley, 2 Fire Investigation officers, a Fire Safety officer and the Scientific Adviser attended this incident - there are so many other inaccuracies in this report I can't detail them all).

Tottenham - nightclub fire
Around thirty firefighters attended a blaze in a disused nightclub on High Road in Tottenham yesterday afternoon. The fire is believed to have started on the ground floor of the three storey building and destroyed around thirty per cent of the ground floor as well as causing serious smoke damage throughout the rest of the building. Fire investigation officers are currently working with police to determine the precise cause of the blaze.
The Brigade was called at 1527 and the fire was under control by 1630. Crews from Tottenham and Hornsey fire stations attended the incident.

Tottenham - man escapes blaze
A man escaped from a fire by jumping from the window of a flat on in White Heart Lane in Tottenham on Saturday night. The blaze started in the lounge of the seventh floor flat where the man became trapped by thick smoke. He jumped from a window and was taken to hospital suffering from multiple injuries. The fire destroyed around thirty per cent of the flat and fire investigation officers are currently looking to determine the cause of the blaze. No smoke alarm was found to be fitted inside the flat.
The Brigade was called at 2134 and the fire was under control by 2224. Crews from Tottenham and Edmonton fire stations attended the incident.

[The Wise Old Owl]

THURSDAY 6 JANUARY

Bayswater - man rescued
An older man was rescued by fire crews after a house fire on Linden Gardens in Bayswater last night.The man attempted to extinguish the fire but was overcome by thick smoke. He was found unconscious by firefighters and was taken to hospital suffering from smoke inhalation. The blaze gutted around a quarter of the ground floor of the two storey house.
The Brigade was called at 1754 and the fire was under control by 1817. A crew from Kensington (Scheduled to lose its pump under the Draft London Safety plan) fire station attended the incident.

Hornsey - two women escape blaze
Two women escaped a house fire on Hornsey Park Road in Hornsey yesterday afternoon. The blaze started on the ground floor where one woman managed to leave before the arrival of the Brigade. Another woman was helped to safety from a first floor window by fire crews using a ladder. Both women were taken to hospital suffering from smoke inhalation. The blaze destroyed around a quarter of the ground floor of the three storey house.
The Brigade was called at 1438 and the fire was under control by 1501. Crews from Hornsey and Tottenham fire stations attended the incident.

[The Wise Old Owl]

MONDAY 10 JANUARY

Mile End –maisonette fire
Around twenty firefighters tackled a blaze in a maisonette on Globe Road in Mile End this morning. The fire destroyed around ten per cent of the two storey flat which was empty at the time.
The Brigade was called at 0459 and the fire was under control by 0521. Crews from Bethnal Green (Scheduled to lose its pump under the Draft London Safety plan) and Whitechapel fire stations attended the incident.

Barking - man dies in flat fire
A man has died following a flat fire in John Burns Drive in Barking on Friday morning. Fire crews found the man after neighbours reported seeing smoke from the second floor flat. The blaze destroyed around a quarter of the flat and fire investigation officers are working closely with police to determine the cause of the fire.
The Brigade was called at 0815 and the fire was under control by 0846. Crews from Belsize and East Ham fire station attended the incident.

Cricklewood - two hundred people evacuated
Around forty firefighters tackled a blaze on an industrial site in which two hundred people were evacuated on Handley Grove in Cricklewood on Friday night. The blaze started in a single storey warehouse causing a number of gas cylinders stored inside to overheat. Some cylinders can explode when exposed to extreme temperatures, and as a result two hundred people from a nearby housing complex were evacuated overnight. Rail services were also disrupted for a time while crews worked to cool the cylinders so that they could be removed safely from the site. Although the safety cordon has now been lifted, there may be disruption to local travel as some roads remain closed as fire crews are still working to make the area safe.
The Brigade was called at 2350 and crews are still at the scene.

Rainham - forty firefighters tackle blaze
Around forty firefighters tackled a blaze on Coldharbour Lane in Rainham on Saturday morning. The blaze started in a rubbish dump causing around twenty hectares of domestic rubbish and compost to set alight. Roads around the area were closed due to thick black smoke billowing from the site.
The Brigade was called at 0451 and crews are still at the scene making the area safe.

[The Wise Old Owl]

TUESDAY 11 JANUARY

Uxbridge - barn blaze
Around twenty firefighters fought a blaze which badly damaged a hay barn on Hill End Road in Uxbridge last night. The barn contained around fifty tonnes of baled hay and a lorry trailer. The cause of the fire is being investigated.

The Brigade was called at 1759 and the fire was under control by 1953. Fire crews from Harrow and Ruislip fire stations attended the incident.

[The Wise Old Owl]

St John's Wood - flat fire
Firefighters rescued one man, one woman and four children from a fifth floor flat on Tresham Crescent in St John's Wood this morning. Firefighters used a ladder to assist the family of six from the property. Crews wore breathing apparatus to carry out the rescue and bring the fire under control. The cause of the fire is being investigated.

The Brigade was called at 0309 and the fire was under control by 0441. Fire crews from Paddington, Manchester Square (Scheduled to close under the Draft London Safety plan) , Knightsbridge (Scheduled to lose its pump under the Draft London Safety plan) and Belsize fire stations attended the incident.

South Norwood - fire fatality
A man has died following a fire which badly damaged a flat on Selhurst Place in South Norwood last night. Fire crews wore breathing apparatus to rescue the man who was taken to hospital where he subsequently died. The cause of the fire is being investigated. Around twenty residents living nearby were evacuated as a precautionary measure.

The Brigade was called at 2334. Fire crews from Croydon and Norbury fire stations attended the incident.