Think before you drink!
Firefighters are warning residents not to cook whilst under the influence of alcohol after attending an incident where a resident's dinner went up in flames.
Firefighters were called to a fire in a flat on the evening of Tuesday 8 February in Rugby. On arrival crews were faced with a fire in the kitchen on the first floor. The property was already heavily smoke logged and a resident, who was asleep when the fire broke out, was still in the building. Two firefighters in breathing apparatus had to enter the building and rescue the resident who was asleep in the front room.
Watch Manager, Keith McDermott said:
“On this occasion the resident was very lucky. If crews hadn’t acted so quickly, we could have been looking at a fatality.
“The main cause of the fire was due to cooking being left unattended. The occupier had been drinking and had fallen asleep, leaving his food cooking under the grill. There were smoke alarms in the property which had activated. However, due to the resident being under the influence, he did not hear them.”
Portfolio Holder for Community Protection, Councillor Richard Hobbs said:
“An Alcohol and Fire Protocol was signed between agencies in December 2010 to enable us to work with our partners to reduce risk in Warwickshire and provide support to more vulnerable members of our communities.
“Under the protocol for incidents where alcohol is a contributing factor, house holders are offered additional services, such as a free home fire safety check or information on the affects of alcohol. The reason for this is that people who try to cook whilst under the influence of alcohol often they don’t see the potential dangers they face. On this occasion, the resident was very lucky. If firefighters had not gone into rescue him, then he would most certainly have lost his life.”
If residents do have concerns regarding fire safety or if you would like to apply for a free home fire safety check, log onto http://www.warwickshire.gov.uk/fireandrescue . Alternatively, for advice on alcohol related services log onto http://www.warwickshire.gov.uk/alcohol