Family of five rescued after fish tank catches fire

Firefighters were called to a fire in Leigh-On-Sea this morning when a passer-by noticed flames in the window of a building on London Road.

On arrival, crews confirmed that an electrical fault had caused a fish tank to catch fire and the room, measuring 5m x 6m, was full of smoke.

Firefighters managed to alert the residents living in the flats above the property - four adults and one child - before helping them to safety. One woman suffered from smoke inhalation and was left in the car of the Ambulance Service.

Crews confirmed the fire was out by 10:40am.

Grant Jones, Temporary Crew Manager at Leigh-On-Sea, said: “We really want to highlight the importance of having working smoke alarms. We recommend everyone has at least one working smoke alarm on each level of their property.

Smoke alarms save lives and are often the first sign of a fire in your home.

It’s also really important to make sure you know how to exit your house safely in the event of a fire. We encourage everyone to practice an escape route with their family members or housemates, so that you don’t put yourself at risk if anything should happen.”

If you or someone you know doesn’t have working smoke alarms at home, please get in touch with our Service. Visit essex-fire.gov.uk/book or call 0300 303 0088.