ESSEX Firefighters have praised neighbours in Basildon after they called 999 when they heard a smoke alarm going off next door.
Crews were called to an incident in a flat in Basildon.
They gained entry to the property and found a heater which was plugged into a few extension cables, with clothes being dried on top of it. Crews reported that the temperature in the flat was very high.
Watch Manager Rob Fossett said: “We’d like to praise the neighbours for calling 999 when they heard the alarm going off. This was absolutely the right thing to do – and in this case prevented a fire from happening. If you ever hear a smoke alarm going off, always call 999, we’d rather be safe than sorry.”
“Luckily, there was no fire in the flat but that’s not to say we weren’t seconds away from one starting. Please never dry your clothes directly on top of a heater. Even on lower settings, portable heaters left too close to flammable objects or materials can catch alight. Make sure you use them on flat surfaces, at least one metre away from anything flammable, and avoid leaving them on unattended or overnight.”
A home safety visit was completed with the resident.
