Release date: 24 January 2025
West Sussex Fire & Rescue Service is urging people to close their internal doors and shut fires out following a fire in Chichester.
At 8pm on 5 January two crews attended a fire at a block of flats in Baxendale Road.
Upon arrival firefighters wearing breathing apparatus entered the property and located a fire in a first-floor bedroom.
The fire was started by an electric blanket laid on top of a blow-up bed, causing the materials to overheat and ignite.
Fortunately, the fire and 90% of the smoke damage was contained to the room of origin because the occupier closed their bedroom door after hearing the smoke alarm.
The occupiers then safely evacuated the building, and firefighters were able to swiftly extinguish the fire.
Anton Mezzone, Station Manager at Chichester, said: “The occupiers of this property perfectly followed every bit of safety advice we recommend in the event of a fire: firstly, they had working smoke alarms, they then closed the doors and swiftly left the property. By following this advice, the damage caused by this fire was kept to a minimum.
“We always recommend closing internal doors at night or when leaving the house, as this can prevent the spread of a fire and toxic fumes by up to 20 minutes.
“Not only does this incident highlight the importance of keeping doors closed, but it also raises awareness of keeping heating appliances away from flammable materials. While electric blankets don’t use naked flames, the risk of fire is still present.”
More advice on electric blanket fire safety can be found on our website.
