FIRE Crews have issued safety advice after a fire at a flat in Thurrock.
We were called to Draper Close today (Sunday 30 March) at 11.21am and crews from Grays (two) and Rayleigh Weir attended.
A neighbour had spotted smoke coming from a second floor balcony and called 999.
Crew Manager Edwards said: “Smoke had filled the flat and crews found a wooden balcony alight. Thanks to the neighbour’s actions, we were on scene very quickly; crews led a man to safety and extinguished the fire before it took hold inside the flat.
“We believe a discarded cigarette burnt through a container and set fire to the balcony. The incident is a reminder to make sure cigarettes are completely extinguished before you discard them, and always use sturdy, non-flammable ashtray.”
Crews extinguished the fire by 12.08pm. The flat was smoke-damaged and is temporarily uninhabitable.
https://www.essex-fire.gov.uk/incidents/smoking-advice-after-flat-fire-2025-03-30-11-21
