Man rescued from house fire
Crews rescued and revived a man from a house fire in Chadwell St Mary.
Firefighters from Orsett and Grays attended Bowerman Road today at 2.24am and found the first floor of a two-storey house was 50% alight.
A neighbour had raised the alarm and reported that the occupant might still be inside.
Firefighters found a man in his seventies who was unconscious and not breathing.
Station Manager Mark Elliott said: "We received good information from the caller that someone might be inside, so firefighters got into the building quickly.
"They did a really fantastic job. They found him in a back bedroom on a smoke-filled first floor, carried him out and revived him using oxygen therapy.
"Crews then worked quickly to stop the fire, limiting the damage and preventing it from spreading to the adjoining house."
Watch Manager Kevin Smith said: "Crews did an absolutely first class job; the speed in which they got into the property, rescued the casualty and administered oxygen and first aid was just brilliant.
"It was a real team effort and they gave the man a fighting chance."
The casualty was left in the care of the Ambulance Service.
Crews, including from Corringham, fully extinguished the fire by 3.48am.
The property did not have working smoke alarms. If you or someone you know doesn’t have working smoke alarms, visit essex-fire.gov.uk/book or call 0300 303 0088.
An investigation has found the fire was accidental and was caused by a candle.
Do you have working smoke alarms in your home?
Smoke alarms save lives. They can alert your family as well as your neighbours and passers-by to a fire in your home if you're not home.
We recommend you have at least one working smoke alarm on every level of your home and that you test them at least once a month.
If you or someone you know doesn’t have working smoke alarms, please get in touch. Visit essex-fire.gov.uk/book or call 0300 303 0088.
Using candles safely
- Consider using LED candles, they are much safer and give the same warm glow
- Make sure candles are secured in a proper holder and are away from materials that may catch fire
- Don’t move candles once they are lit
- Children should not be left alone with lit candles
- Put candles out when you leave the room, and make sure they’re put out completely at night
- Burn candles in a well-ventilated room to prevent, but avoid drafts, vents or air currents. This will help prevent rapid or uneven burning, sooting, and excessive dripping
- Trim the wick to ¼ inch each time before burning. Long or crooked wicks can cause uneven burning, dripping or flaring
- Follow the manufacturer's recommendations on burn time and proper use
- Do not burn several candles close together as this might cause flaring
