Smoke alarm alerts residents to flat fire

Residents in a block of flats were alerted to a fire thanks to a smoke alarm. 

Firefighters were called to a flat fire on the fourth floor in Great Oaks, Basildon at 5.59pm today. Crews from Basildon (two), Rayleigh and Orsett attended. 

The resident had gone out after accidentally switching on the hob, causing items on top to catch alight. 

Watch Manager Dave Farrant said: "The residents were alerted to the fire because of the smoke alarms in the flat and in the communal corridors. Everybody followed the buildings stay put policy which meant we were able to get into the flat quickly and extinguish the fire in the kitchen. 

"It's incredibly easy to accidentally turn your hob on and if that happens and something is on top of it, a kitchen fire is inevitable. So please, keep your hob and oven clean and clear of clutter at all times.

"I’d like to emphasise the importance of working smoke alarms. Make sure you have at least one on every level of your home and test them regularly. If you don't have one, get in touch with our team, we fit them for free. The situation could have been a lot worse if we had got there later."